A fine line between love and hate
by WhenDreamsAndRealityCollide
Summary: Bella is in a famous rock band and loving the lifestyle. Big C is their manager, and he's at his wit's end. Will three young security guards get them in shape for the event of their lives or will they rock the foundations of Bella's every understanding? Can love evolve between the sound checks, wild parties and crazed fans? AU AH BxEm ExR JxA HEA  Edited Version
1. Prologue

**Ok, so if you're returning from a long absence I kinda forced you into - sorry!- than there isn't much different here but there were**

**a few things I wanted to change and correct. I'm going to update this, Chapter one and Two and then work on updating the chapters**

**after that so you shouldn't have to wait too long for frequent updates this time around. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Everything but the plot and the nicknames belong to Stephenie Meyer, although I'd love to say I was awesome enough**

**to be her :D**

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><p>Prologue<p>

BPOV

_Urgh. Who's idea was it to drink those extra shots? Shit. Mine, again. _I woke up to someone pounding harshly on the door and groaned. My head was throbbing and I felt like absolute shit, although I'd definitely had worse and I'd be able to deal with this. "What the fuck do you _want_?" I yelled.

"Bella, we've gotta hit the road!" Mike's annoying voice yelled back through the hotel room door. Cue loud groan from me.

"Lau_**ren**_! The Batty brigade is here, we've gotta move it sister." I rolled over and sat up, grinning when I saw Lauren in her bed beside mine. She was tangled in the sheets and her blonde hair was a bird's nest, but it was her face that made me laugh. Written across her forehead she'd had some guy's number and name but it'd smudged and now it was smeared all down one side of her face and on the white pillow.

"Shut it Bella. M'still sleepin'." I leaped out of the bed, ignoring the headache as best as I could and pounced on Lauren. She shrieked and we ended up wrestling on the double bed, laughing and screaming.

"Oh for fuck sake." Me and Lauren looked up quickly when we heard our manager's angry voice and grinned. He always got a spare key to our rooms in case of emergencies and this time was no different. Carlisle stood in the doorway shielding his eyes with one arm and sighed, loudly. Just behind him, and the source of the cussing, was Mike, a fellow band member and permanent horn dog.

"Hey guys, come to join in?" I said sweetly, and Lauren giggled before rolling out from under me and dashing to the bathroom.

"Bella, get dressed, get showered, and get down to the lobby. We're leaving in an hour tops." Carlisle said in a very bored sounding voice. Then he marched out of the room with a grinning Mike and shut the door. That was when I remembered that me and Lauren hadn't really changed since coming in last night except for throwing our dresses on the floor and putting on a t-shirt. Mine was short, stopping just at the top of my thighs and you could clearly see my black underwear through it. _Oops, poor Carlisle_. I laughed and went to my bag at the end of my bed, looking for the clothes I'd wear today.

"Lozza where are we goin' today?" I yelled by the bathroom door.

"Um, dunno! Ask DILF, he's got the down low if you know what I mean!" We laughed loudly and I returned to my suitcase.

We rolled up at the lobby an hour and a half later and Mr DILF himself was pacing up and down on his Blackberry. "Hey there guys!" I called loudly, and the band all looked our way. Mike smirked; Ben chuckled quietly and went back to doing whatever he does on his phone all the time; Tyler laughed loudly and did a fist pump.

"Woah you sure pissed him off today girlies!" He yelled, and Carlisle turned round, finally realising that we'd arrived. He hung up and marched over to us, an angry scowl on his face.

"I thought I told you an hour?" _Uh oh, someone's a little pissed off_. I raised my eyebrows over his shoulder at Tyler and pulled face as if I was scared. The guys laughed loudly, but Carlisle's glare shut them up. _Pansies_.

"We had girl stuff to tend to Carlisle, surely you know about that kind of thing? You are married to a woman after all." My tone was one you'd use when explaining something to a child, and he bristled.

"Enough." He barked. "Bella, Lauren, get to the van now. Guys, make sure they don't wander off on the way. I've got to go settle the bill." Carlisle stalked off and me and Lauren joined our pals. I squealed and leaped onto Mike's back and Lauren jumped on Tyler's and we raced out to the van with Ben lagging behind, guess what, still on his phone.

"Spoil sport!" I yelled, turning my head to poke my tongue out at him. He grinned and flipped me off.

"Bagsy the front seat by Big C!" I called when we reached the ten seater van Carlisle had hired. Everyone laughed as Mike dumped me on my feet.

"Sorry little lady, Carlisle's got some guests." Ben told me. I frowned.

"Really? Who? Oooh, is he having an affair?" Lauren giggled and I winked.

"No!" Ben chuckled, somewhat awkwardly. "Anyway, he'll probably want them near the front so he can make sure you and Lozza don't slobber on them or something."_Ahhh, so they're guys... interesting. _I shared a knowing look with Lauren, and she smirked.

"So, who exactly are these guests?" I asked, sidling over to Ben and leaning into his side, lowering my voice to sound seductive.

"Woah, Carlisle never said there was action goin' on behind the drums!" A loud voice sounded from behind me, and I turned to see who it belonged to. _Woah..._


	2. Chapter One

**Ok, I'd like to say a big thank you to misstwilightandnewmoon, ADdIct3D34, hlwareham, Insert-dramatic-PenName (Loving the pen-name by the way), and tex812 for reviewing, favouriting or adding to alerts :)**

**A double thank you to ForTheLoveOfEmmett for adding to alerts _and _reviewing :D**

**And a triple thank you with Emmett hugs to Vicki-Emmett-McCarty for doing all of the above! You made my day :P**

**So yeah, I won't bore you anymore with my long A/N, except to say that without Stephenie Meyer, I wouldn't be writing this :')**

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><p>Chapter One:<p>

EPOV

"Hey Dad, hows the tour goin'?" I answered the phone with a grin when I saw my Dad's name flashing on the screen. He always had stories to tell me when he went on tour with his band, most of them involving the band's lead singer and main attraction, Isabella Swan. It didn't matter to me that it was only eight am, I was up and about anyway. And besides, it was never too early to hear the things Dad usually had to tell me.

"It's not. We're gonna have to call it a day if something doesn't change, son. I'm at my wits end." A frown found it's way to my face, and my cousin and brother looked at me quizzically.

"Dad, you've never run out of ideas, and you haven't even really started the tour yet. Last night was the first night, what did she do?" Jasper, my cousin, chuckled and Emmett, my brother, grinned widely. They knew exactly who I was talking about, as did Dad.

"First she didn't turn up for sound check, and we had to run it without her until she arrived. Turns out she'd picked up some stray off the streets and decided the hotel pool room was as good a place as any." I chuckled loudly. "Don't laugh son, there's more. She and Lauren then proceeded to change the song order and not tell me _or_ the lighting engineers, so it was a mad rush to get it sorted whilst they were singing."

"Ah I dunno, I saw it on TV last night Dad, it looked pretty cool." I flicked the phone onto loud speaker so Jasper and Emmett could hear what he was saying too.

"I know, that's the problem. What they did was good, they just did it the wrong way. After the show I took everyone to the bar, to mingle and sign a few autographs. It's good for morale. Anyway, she snuck out of her room in the middle of the night with Lauren and they were escorted back to their room early this morning. I wouldn't have minded so much, because I've dealt with this before, it's the fans getting too close and the fact that they vehemently refuse security that worries me. Who's with you?" He asked. He'd obviously heard Jazz and Em snickering.

"Em and Jazz." I told him.

"Oh! Hi guys, having fun?" He sounded minutely cheered up which made me happy; I hated hearing my Dad sound so forlorn and wished there was something I could do to help him out.

"Yeah we're good Pops." Emmett said loudly with a grin.

"Chillin' with Eddie's awesome TV Uncle Carlisle." My Dad chuckled, and I rolled my eyes. _They only come over for the damn TV. Then again, so would I..._

"Actually, I had ulterior motives calling you, and it's a great coincidence that the boys are with you, as it concerns them too." Jazz frowned at me, and Emmett sat forward in his seat. Any opportunity that Dad threw his way he'd most likely take it.

"Okay, fire away Pops." Emmett told him seriously, rubbing his hands together gleefully. I rolled my eyes and waited for Dad to speak.

"Well, the girls are getting a little bit out of line, and this tour could be just the making of them. I need them in top form, always, and you three could be a great help to me. Would you guys consider coming out and working as security for the tour? You'd be compensated for your time, and there would of course be the perks of travelling with a high profile band too." Looking at Em and Jazz I knew we were all decided.

"When do we start, Dad?"

**Two Hours Later**

"Where are you Edward? The girls haven't come down yet, and I was hoping you'd be here before they are." Dad sounded panicked as I spoke to him on the phone, but there wasn't anything I could do. We were stuck in traffic. Dad and the band were in Seattle, and me, Em and Jazz were in Jazz's car on the way to Seattle from Forks.

"I'm sorry Dad, we're going as fast as we can. We're about ten, fifteen minutes away." He sighed.

"Okay. Just, try and get here as soon as you can. The guys are ready and waiting, but Bella and Lauren haven't made an appearance since I went to their room." I chuckled. He'd told me the state of undress he'd found them in, and Emmett found it hilarious.

"Alright, well we'll be there as soon as we can. Promise."

"Thank you son, I appreciate this and so do the guys."

I chuckled, "Tell them we said hi. See you soon."

"Will do. See you all soon."

"Right, Dad's just about holding it together. We've gotta get there before the girls surface, so step on it Jazz."

We finally pulled up at the hotel twenty minutes later and spotted the band exiting the hotel. I knew each of them and I chuckled as my eyes followed them. Ben, the keyboard player, was mooching along behind the others on his phone. Mike, the bass player, was running across the car lot with Isabella on his back, and Tyler, drum player, was running behind them with Lauren, another singer, on his back. I couldn't help but notice Lauren's beautiful face and pouty lips as I watched them, and then I quickly shook those thoughts from my head. I couldn't have Lauren, or Isabella for that matter. This is purely business to help Dad out, nothing else.

We got out and locked the car up before walking over to the bands' van. Dad saw us and waved; he was checking out of the hotel. We reached the van just as Isabella sidled up to Ben and rubbed up against him. She seemed to be trying to find out who the guests were. _Well, here we are. _"Woah, Carlisle never said there was action goin' on behind the drums!" Emmett couldn't keep his mouth to himself, and Bella quickly spun round at the sound of his loud freaking voice. I smirked, taking in her appraising looks. She eyed the three of us up and down, and then settled her gaze on my baffoon of a brother.

"So, you're our guests?" She purred, and I swear I heard Emmett growl.

"That's us baby. I'm Emmett." He approached her and held out his paw of a hand. She smiled and took his hand. Emmett, ever the charmer, raised her hand to his lips and kissed it like something out of a 1950's movie.

"Emmett, son, release Bella." Dad's amused voice said, suddenly close to us. I turned as he passed us and climbed into the drivers' seat. "Edward, Emmett, Jasper, throw your things in the trunk and then mingle with the band. Introduce yourselves, get to know each other. Band, meet your new personal security guards." As Dad closed the car door, me and the guys chuckled loudly. Bella and Lauren's jaw dropped as they stared at the three of us.

"Big C, this is so unfair. We don't need babysitters. The fans don't get that close, and even if they did, don't you think me and Lozza could get rid of them ourselves?" Dad laughed quietly.

"Bella, we've been having this argument since we left the hotel. I did not see the first hour of this journey going like this." Isabella crossed her arms and I smirked when I caught Lauren staring at me.

"So you don't think we can handle a few fans?" She demanded.

"Oh Bella, I know that if anyone can handle a few fans, you and Lauren-"

"Lozza." Isabella interrupted him again. Dad sighed, exasperated.

"You two can handle a few fans fine, I'm more worried about the drinking and partying aspect of it. You need your rest and we both know that you don't sleep well in moving vehicles."

"And you've employed the Three Musketeers to tag along, why? Did their preschool teacher get bored of them or something?" Emmett chuckled loudly, but he stopped abruptly when Isabella glared at him from across the van.

"The Three Musketeers as you've so kindly named them are here because you are getting out of control. You need someone to make sure you're at sound check and not off chatting with a stranger..."

"Yeah like that's what we were doing." I heard her mumble under her breath and Emmett laughed quietly. This time she smiled slightly at him. _She looked pretty when she smiled like that._

"So there will be no arguments, agreed?" I missed the rest of Dad's lecture until the end, but I guess Bella and Lauren are good at multi tasking because they turned in their seats and vehemently refused to 'have babysitters trailing after them all the time. What if they find the man of their dreams and want to have rampant sex with them?' Their words not mine.

"Isabella, I do not want to argue with you over this. If you continue, I will bunk one of them down with you and put you under hotel arrest between sound checks and shows." Dad said in a stern voice, also full naming her, that I remember well from childhood. The girls huffed and turned around their seats so they didn't have to face any of us guys. Me, Emmett and Jasper laughed lightly and struck up conversations with the rest of the band.

We introduced ourselves to the male band members, and they welcomed us with open arms. Mike seemed to be cocky and Ben was a bit shy but Tyler was just like me and my guys so he was cool. They were all pretty alright really, and we all had a good debate about the pros and cons of travelling and being able to meet tonnes more women. Dad gave his whipped opinion that you should stick to one woman and one woman only, which I appreciated considering the woman that he's so devoted to is my Mom, and I'd have a bit of an issue if he was sleeping around in every city they visited.

"Yo Bro, wanna join?" Emmett shattered my thoughts and I looked over at where he was now sitting in between Bella and Lauren, who had now returned to the group, with a wide grin on his face. He raised his paw full of cards and I smiled, shifting my position so we were in a kind of huddle with Ben, Mike and Tyler playing some kind of game near the front.

"Sure, whatcha playin'?" Emmett chuckled, and the girls giggled. I looked from Bella to Lauren and back again. Bella was pouting slightly.

"I wanted to play strip poker, but _he _said it's inappropriate." She scoffed, flicking her thumb over her shoulder towards my Dad. "It's 'coz he knows we'd be too much temptation if we started to lose, which we wouldn't, and he'd get sacked for fraternizing with the crew members." She said with a grin, and I cringed.

"I should hope he didn't say that. Mom wouldn't be happy Pops!" I called teasingly, and Dad coughed awkwardly.

"Bella, could you stop telling my sons and nephew things I haven't said? I simply said that it wouldn't be appropriate for young women to be stripping, in the back of a van full of men, especially so as one of which is married." Dad explained calmly although he sounded incredibly uncomfortable. With a grin I turned back to Emmett and the girls.

"Lets just play poker for now, yeah?"

"Pah, guess so." Bella crinkled her nose and took the cards from my brother, shuffling them quicker than my eyes could keep up with.

"_**Shit**_! How did you learn to shuffle like that?" Emmett asked, seemingly in awe. Bella smirked.

"We've done quite a few tours, it gets quite tedious. Guess I'm just good with my hands." She added with a wink. Then, to Jasper and I's complete amusement, Emmett fucking _blushed_! Emmett, the king of sexual innuendos and practical jokes, _blushed _when Isabella Swan hit him with one.

"Oh my fucking God." Jasper murmured through his laughter. Lauren was staring at me quite plainly, so I threw in a cheeky wink and she grinned back at me. _She really is gorgeous... _No. Stop that train of thought. Can't go there, so can't go there. "You blushed man! Seriously, Isabella Swan, you are really a legend." Bella shrugged and dealt the cards out with a small smile on her face.

"I already knew that." She said, and we all shook our heads in awe of the woman before us. Lauren giggled.

"Look at Mrs Modesty over there." She tutted, and Bella made us all laugh even harder by leaning around Emmett and poking her tongue out at her band mate.

"Anyway, I do believe introductions are in order?" Jasper decided to break up the playful argument and I cleared my throat quietly. "I'm Jasper Whitlock, Carlisle's nephew." Bella and Lauren leaned over and kissed his cheeks at the same time, and he laughed.

"I'm Edward Cullen, Carlisle's son." I said, and they gave me the same treatment as Jazz.

"And I, am the one and only Emmett Cullen, Carlisle's oldest, and far more attractive son." Emmett said, loud and proud, a cheeky grin aimed at me before he turned back to Bella. Jasper and I scoffed, and Lauren and Bella giggled as they kissed his cheeks.

"Alright, enough of the PDA back there, toilet break!" Dad announced, and everyone cheered.

"So, this what all your tours are like?" I joined Lauren and Isabella in the alcohol aisle of the small gas station we'd stopped at and grinned. I knew the ladies loved it, and it seemed to be working on Lauren. Not so much Bella. _Do I want it to work on Bella?_

"Pretty much, except Benjaminge usually pipes in more often and corrects me grammar." She raised her voice slightly so Ben, who was in the aisle but at the other end, could hear her nickname for him and her bad use of words. He scowled in her direction but her was snickering quietly too, and I figured this must be a normal thing for the group.

"Ok, and you like drinking on the job?" I nodded my head towards the large bottles of Vodka in the girls' hands. Bella smiled and leaned in towards me.

"Lemme tell you a secret Pretty Boy, to survive in this business, with our manager, who is your Pops, right?" She continued after my nod, and the way I kindly ignored the 'pretty boy' comment. "You need a few drinks. Your Pops has gotta be the most uptight dude I've ever met, and believe me, I've met a few." She was grinning and Lauren laughed incredulously beside her. "So, what made you drop your silver toys and come help us lowly band life?" She began to trawl the aisle again, in search of God knows what, and Lauren wandered off.

"Dad called and said he had a few rowdy members that needed watchin', and we just finished our degrees so we figured, why not tag along on a tour?" She looked surprised when I mentioned degrees and she scoffed.

"Yeah, bet you bought them too didn't ya?" I frowned.

"Bought what? Our degrees?" A nod. "Actually, we've been in college six years working hard whilst you've been rocking away on stage."

"O-kay then." _Sarcastic tone_. She clearly thinks just because we're a little, maybe a lot, wealthy, that we don't have to work. Huh. "Aha, here we go. Hold onto that, Pretty Boy. Thanks very much." She handed me a bottle of green liquid, and under further inspection I revealed that it was some form of cocktail called 'Shrek'. I dutifully carried the bottle for her as she wandered up and down more aisles and threw things in her basket before we went to the till. Dad was standing near the van waving for me to go and join him, so I left Bella to her shopping and went to see what he wanted. When I got out there I realised that Emmett and Jasper were already waiting.

"Hey Dad, she's certainly something." I said as I joined them. Dad shook his head and ran a hand through his unruly blond hair, a habit that he had passed onto me and Emmett.

"She's something alright son. Anyway, I've got these for you. I ordered them and arranged to have them delivered here so we could get then en-route this morning." He handed us each a bag and when I opened it I found three black t-shirts, all with the band's logo and 'Security' emblazoned on the back.

"Cool!" Emmett crowed when he opened his. He quickly whipped off his green polo and put on his new one, completely ignoring the stares of the other customers at the gas station. Dad chuckled and me and Jazz grinned.

"Woah, showing off there a bit weren't you Cullen? Way to make every other guy in the place feel inferior." Bella strolled back to the van and winked at Emmett as she leant on his shoulder and hopped in, toting her three white carrier bags. Emmett ran his hand through his hair and shamelessly watched her as she wiggled her way through the seats that we'd now set up properly. Dad smacked his shoulder and tutted.

"Son, I didn't bring you all our here to ogle my band."

"Ouch Dad, that stung." Emmett pouted and me and Jasper shook our heads whilst Dad glared at him disapprovingly. "I'm not ogling," He began.

"No, he's just checking out the merchandise, right Cullen?" Bella sang, rejoining us at the open side door of the van and plonking herself down beside Emmett. He grinned, ear to ear, and raised a hand for a high five. She smiled widely back at him and when he moved to slap her hand, she quickly moved it away and wiggled her hand infront of her nose. Emmett shook his head and smirked. Me, Dad and Jasper shared an amused look and an eye roll.

"We're all ready to roll when you are." Mike announced as he, Ben, Tyler and Lauren returned to the van.

"Hop in, we've got a couple of hours to go yet." A few groans of protest, but Emmett and Bella climbed in and everyone else followed. I chose to jump in the front with Dad this time.

"I thought you'd want to sit back with the others, Edward." He said when we drove off.

"Nah, thought I'd come bug you for a bit. Haven't seen ya for a while." I mock punched his arm and he smiled.

"No, I guess you haven't. I've been busy a lot more recently, what with my group of delinquents that I have to babysit." He said loudly and the others in the back laughed good naturedly.

"It seems to be a great bunch of people hitting the road and having a good time." He chuckled.

"You wait until we hit Spokane. There will be minimal fun whilst we're there except for whilst they're on the stage." He ignored the outrage in the back and continued talking. "This nine month tour could only be the start for them, and I don't want it ruined. There are a lot of important people in Spokane waiting for them to give a brilliant performance, and though I have faith in them, I know that they won't be able to pull it off if they spent the three days drinking, sneaking off with men and partying all through the night. Hotel arrest for anyone that disobeys _one _order. And yes, that mostly is aimed at you, Bella, before you ask." Bella made a loud farting noise and everyone else started laughing loudly, including me, and it made Dad scowl. "You are supposed to be the mature, sensible security guards." He said with a small smile tugging at his mouth.

"Dad, if you wanted mature and sensible you should have called Collin and Brady, not me, Jazz and Em." He laughed quietly and grinned widely, most likely imagining how _un-_helpful my maternal cousins would be.

"I suppose I should have." He flickered his gaze to me and back to the road again. "I think you'll be a good influence on them. You already seem to be. They haven't started asking to smoke yet."

"I heard that Big C!" Lauren yelled, and he frowned. "Belly Boobs, chuck me a lighter!" I spluttered when she called to Bella, and Dad looked at me warily.

"You alright son?"

"Yeah... fine. Does everyone on this road show have a stupid nickname?"

"Hey! Pretty boy, they are _not___stupid nicknames. They're individual, and you keep them for life unless I say otherwise, 'coz I invented the nickname rule." Bella snapped, and I heard a few "oooh"'s and "burn"'s muttered.

"Ok then, so what's Mike's?" Emmett asked curiously.

"Well that's obvious. Micro."

"Micro?" Jasper asked, and I heard Mike muttering something under his breath grumpily.

"Micro, as in Micro Dick. Ask Jess when we catch up with her. Hey Big C! Where's Jess at?"

"Jessica is with Rosalie in Spokane sorting things out ahead of our arrival. When we get there we'll be getting on the RV so there's room for everyone. Of course that means you'll have to decide between yourselves who gets the master bedroom."

"Bella." Everyone said at once, and Dad sighed with a roll of his blue eyes.

"Of course, Bella, you'll be staying in the master suite, again."

"Why do you stay in the master suite, every time by the sound of things?" I asked, turning round so I could see everyone. Bella smirked, and the others, sans Emmett and Jasper, were cringing.

"Well, you can have the suite for the first night if you want?" She offered, smiling sweetly. Ben made a cut throat motion, and I shook my head 'no'.

"No thanks. You're welcome to it."

"Why thank you, you're such a gentleman. Cullen? Whiplash? You want the room" We all snickered, and Jasper frowned with a smile.

"Whiplash? Is that the best you can do?" Jasper ignored her question.

"Oooh, that was a bad move Jasper." Tyler warned, grinning widely at Bella. "Belly Boobs will come up with one ten times shittier than that." Jasper paled slightly, but didn't stop smiling.

"Language, Tyler." Dad said sternly, and Tyler nodded slightly, returning his attention quickly to the group.

"Alrighty then, bring it on Belly Boobs." Bella reached across and high fived Jazz, but he reeled back his hand in shock.

"Ouch! What the fuck was _that_?" He clutched his hand and Tyler, Bella and Lauren laughed in their seats behind Jasper, Ben, Emmett and Mike.

"Language, Jasper." Dad warned again.

"Seriously Belly Boobs?" Her smile widened, revealing her shiny white teeth.

"Whiplash, and yes, I'm going to call you that until I come up with something completely humiliating. It is called a practical joke? Have you rich people not heard of such a thing?" She did such an awful British accent the whole van broke out into laughter, even my Dad. _This could actually be quite a fun nine months..._

On arrival in Spokane, we all jumped out eagerly, enjoying the freedom to stretch our legs and the fresh air surrounding us after the confined space in the van. I was glad we'd be getting on the RV soon, as I'd helped my Dad kit it out with the latest gadgets and it had plenty of room. "So Eddie, where 'bouts you from?" Lauren asked as we waited for Dad to check us in.

"Edward," I reminded her with a lopsided grin, and she nodded. "And Forks. I've lived there all my life."

"Wow, really? I've never seen you. I'd remember a face like yours." She was flirting shamelessly, but I was lapping it up.

"I'm sure I'd remember yours too. I didn't really go out much. I studied hard at home and completed my degree a year and a half early. Bit of a bookworm really." She looked shocked. Everyone was when I told them my real passion; books.

"Cool. I don't have a degree, but in this bizz, who fucking needs one?" I shrugged and nodded. She was somewhat right. Her looks and talent would open the same doors my slaving away would but probably a lot quicker. "Woah! Is that the new RV?" She pointed to the large vehicle and I grinned.

"Yep." I said, popping the 'p'. It was absolutely huge and painted a shiny black with a silver lightening bolt running the length of it. Down each side were large blacked out windows and then covering the entire middle and slightly overhanging onto the roof was the band's logo;a bright white swan with four slightly smaller ones surrounding it, each of them slightly different to represent a member of the band, but every one having the same bloodied fang markings on their neck.

"It's awesome Big C!" Bella ran to Dad as he came back out of the hotel with some door cards and a big smile on his face.

"I'm glad you like it. So, I've got your room cards here. Bella, you are bunking with Lauren, Tyler and Ben, Mike and Jasper and Edward and Emmett. Is that ok with everyone?" Jasper and Mike high fived and me and Emmett grinned at each other. Ben and Tyler and Bella and Lauren all seemed ok with their arrangements so Dad handed out the keys and kept the spares in his holdal. "Right, band, grab your stuff and hop it. Pamper yourselves, chill out, do whatever but **no **drinking. Lobby at six. Security, stick around a minute and I'll fill you in on the schedule." Everyone scattered except me, Jazz, Em and Dad.

"Ok, so I have the itinerary's here. Emmett, you're Bella duty tonight, Edward you're Lauren, Jazz, you have guy duty. You ok with that?" We all were, so he carried on. "I'll be doing a lot of planning with Rosalie and Jessica, the route and stage managers, so you will have to have your wits about you. Remember what I said on the phone about the girls sneaking out? They'll be testing you as much as possible tonight. Don't get mad, just get them in the lobby by six. We have sound check at six thirty and then they're on at seven thirty. For Heaven's sake, don't, try and split the girls up, because it won't happen. Don't let fans too near them, don't let them run off, don't let them try and say I've said they can do something because I most likely didn't. If they need to go somewhere urgently, call me. Oh and Lauren will probably pull the, 'he's kidnapping me against my will' card. Ignore it and keep going. Everyone knows what she's like, and she knows it'll push your buttons. Keep calm, and don't drink anything the girls offer you. It's probably alcoholic even if they tell you it isn't. We clear?" I nodded and processed the information in my head once more.

"Yup, think so Pops. Six o clock lobby, half past sound check, seven thirty show. Got it. And do we have to take them somewhere after sound check?" Emmett asked.

"Talk to Rosalie. She'll tell you. You all set Jasper, Edward?" We both nodded and smiled. Dad exhaled in relief and smiled slightly too. "Great. You boys are great. I've got to go and talk to some people about the show tonight, check on them and make sure they're not drinking please."

"Okay, will do Pops. Come on fellas." Emmett threw his bag over his shoulder and marched off towards the entrance and me and Jasper followed suit.

"Oh hey Pretty Boy, what can we do you for?" Isabella asked innocently when she opened the door, only a tiny bit, to the room she was sharing with Lauren. I smiled back.

"I've been told to come and check you're not indulging in anything alcoholic. I'm assuming you have the Vodka and Shrek in there?" I asked politely.

"As a matter of fact yes, we do. We're not drinking it now though, don't get your thong in a twist." Lauren was laughing inside, and I heard Tyler's chuckle too. Bella's face turned solemn and she placed a hand over her heart. "Me and Lozza like a drink after the performance so we can forget the horrendous break ups that occurred and threw us into this cut throat business." Lauren's giggling got louder, and I heard Tyler scoff.

"Oh really? So that'll be why your breath wreaks of Vodka then?" She grinned.

"Of course. Want some?" She leaned forwards and stopped mere inches from my mouth. I could taste her breath on my lips, and it was doing weird things to me. "Too late Pretty Boy, maybe later!" She disappeared suddenly and closed the door quickly. I heard them all laughing inside, and I ran a hand through my hair before walking down the hall and entering my own room where I'd previously left my bag with Emmett.

"Not there?" Emmett asked as he walked in from the bathroom, towel drying his hair.

"Oh they were there alright." With a groan I flopped back on my bed and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to forget the memory of her lips so close to mine, close enough to touch... _knock knock knock._

"I'll get it Bro." Emmett wandered over to the door and turned the handle quickly, causing the door to swing open and hit the wall with a light _thud. _I sat up and the sight took my breath away. She was, _beautiful. _The woman standing in our doorway had long, honey blonde hair that hung in loose curls to her shoulders, flaring out slightly on the grey knit jumper she was wearing. My eyes floated downwards...

"Eyes are up here honey." A melodic... _oh shit, where did melodic come from? _voice said in a slightly harsh tone. "Jeez. Seems your brother knows how to treat a lady. Anyway, Carlisle said you two and the curly one are security?" Emmett nodded and said yes, but I couldn't take my eyes of the woman's amazing face. She didn't look back over at me though. "Here's your itinerary's, and the schedule for the next month's shows and duties. Bella's going to be a handful, so Emmett, is that you?"

"Yup."

"Okay, well Emmett she's my sis but she's a bitch so watch her, and Lauren's her partner in crime. Not as bad, but bitchy." She was smiling, and I could tell she was fond of the girls, I just couldn't figure out who she was. "Carlisle still wants you all at six, so you'd better get moving Edward. Oh and next time we see each other, my eyes are about ten inches above where you're looking..." She sung as she flounced from the room and I heard her heels clicking as she moved further and further away.

"Seriously Dude. That is not the way to get laid." Emmett chuckled as he closed the door and threw himself across the room, landing on my bed and causing me to bounce up slightly.

"Shit Em, don't do that!" He laughed louder and shoved a piece of paper in my hand. I looked down and saw the schedule for the next month. I was on Lauren duty for a lot of it, but I had a few nights where I was on guy duty, and Dad had noted that that was basically our time off.

"You don't wanna screw that chick man. You know who she is don't cha?" I shook my head, and he spluttered. "That, my complete fuck up of a brother, was Rosalie Hale, stage manager to the stars." Suddenly, I recalled seeing a picture of Bella and her stage manager together in Dad's office. _Shit. He's right, it's her. _Just then I noticed that written in big black marker across the bottom of the rules sheet in scruffy handwriting were the words: **DO NOT SCREW THE STAFF! BAD! MICRO, HANDS OFF JESS'S TITS! **I chuckled when I read it and pointed it out to Em, who also laughed.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit." _So Rosalie, Lauren and Bella are firmly off the To Do List._

At quarter to six me and Emmett walked down the hall to the girls' room, clad in our security shirts and black jeans, and heard them giggling inside. I knocked once, twice, three times. "Wait a minute, Lozza hasn't had her third orgasm yet!" Bella yelled. Emmett stifled his laughter and I knocked again, louder this time. "Oh alright! Can't a girl have some special time? Jeez!" Bella threw open the door and I heard Emmett's gasp. She was wearing a tight white t-shirt that read 'Tap Me' and had a large picture of tap dancing shoes along with a few other things. I could see her lacy black bra through the material, which meant that Emmett could to, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was attracted to her. Her tight black skinny jeans clung to her like a second skin, and she was wearing shiny black heels, atleast five inches high I'd say. "Are you gonna keep checking me out or tell me what you're here for?" Her voice interrupted my appraisal of her, and I quickly looked back up to her face. She was smirking. Emmett cleared his throat and I smiled in the most innocent manner I could muster.

"We're here to take you to the lobby." His voice was still slightly husky, and I had to work really hard to not laugh. She grinned at him.

"How much time do we have?"

"Um, about ten-ish minutes." She grinned wider and opened the door completely, stepping back into the room slightly.

"Come on in. Lozza, the sitters are here for an orgasm!" She danced into the room, and I looked at Emmett, wondering if this was a good idea after Dad's warning earlier. Then again, we couldn't make sure they weren't up to anything bad out here in the hallway I guess._  
><em>

_Lets do it._ Emmett strolled inside and laughed. I followed him and grinned at what I saw. Their room was covered from floor to ceiling in banners and streamers and there was even some toilet roll hanging from the lights. The girls were all dressed up and sitting on one of the beds that they must have moved themselves as it was in front of the big vanity mirror. Lauren looked really good in a violet ruffled top and white skinny jeans and flats. They were applying their make up and drinking a creamy colored cocktail. Bella picked up two glasses, quickly mixed up some random alcohol and poured it into the glasses. I was quite impressed at her skills. "Here, have an orgasm." I took mine hesitantly.

"We're not allowed to drink on duty, Bella." She completely ignored me and stared at Emmett, who was taking a sip of his drink.

"Woah! This shit is good!" Emmett downed his and I though _Oh what the hell? _And quickly downed mine too. Dad didn't need to know.

"Like?" Lauren asked, sidling over to me and linking her arm through mine. I smiled down at her.

"Sure, it was ok."

"I just finished my third orgasm." She declared with a wink and I chuckled.

"So that's what you were talking about when you came to open the door." Bella and Lauren shared a look and moved closer together, their tongues wagging.

"Ah no, we're together." Bella joked, and Emmett chuckled beside me.

"Come on, we're gonna be late. You ready ladies?"

"Guess so. Come on Missy." Bella quickly pulled on a black hoodie and Lauren did the same. They covered their whole top half and fell to their knees. I gave them a questioning look. "It's so no one sees our outfits before the big shebang."

"Ah I see. Come on then, lets get moving." Bella quickly pulled her hair back into a clip and shook her head a little bit, and Lauren did the same.

"Before you ask, dimwits, it's so when we pull the clips out our hair is mussed and looks sexified." Bella purred, stalking past Emmett and lightly skimming her hand over his arm in the process. Lauren went after her and me and Emmett followed quickly, closing the door behind us.

"Wait! Did you bring your card?"

"Nah, Big C'll let us in later!" Lauren called, and me and Emmett jogged after them until we were just behind them, then we walked about six foot away.

"She's gonna be the death of me, I swear." Emmett grumbled under his breath, and I chuckled quietly.

"Don't die on me Bro. I don't think I'll be able to handle both of them."

"You wouldn't be able to handle one of us, Pretty Boy." Bella smirked over her shoulder, and we all laughed at her teasing tone.

We made it to the lobby seconds before Dad, and he looked pleased. "Right, where's Mike, Ben, Tyler and Jasper?" He asked, looking around.

"Oh I got a text from Tyler a min ago, they're already at the sound check. I was supposed to tell Edward, but I forgot." She smiled sweetly at me and I grinned.

"S'okay."

"Okey dokey then, let's get moving." We went out to the van and piled in, Dad driving and Lauren in the front whilst me, Bella and Emmett sat in the middle.

"How do the sound checks go then?" I asked conversationally.

"Woah, I didn't know you were such a virgin Pretty Boy? I thought with those looks you'da had the girls hurling their skanky asses at you." I scoffed at Bella's teasing and Emmett laughed.

"Ol' Pretty Boy here actually had lots of girls, none of them were good enough for him though." Emmett leaned in close to Bella and whispered something in her ear. She started laughing so hard she actually couldn't breath right. Emmett had to open the window and pat her on the back.

"Pah! Can't see that happenin' pal. Prove me wrong and I'll dance topless on top of the van in a parking lot in Chica-"

"There'll be no topless dancing for anyone Bella. Boys, stop encouraging her." Dad sighed, and we snickered quietly.

"See, it'd be great if I knew what I was meant to be proving?" I said quietly.

"Well that would be telling." Bella tapped the side of her nose and winked at Emmett. I huffed and sat back in my seat, grinning widely.

"You're here!" Tyler was standing outside the back entrance having a smoke when we pulled up and Carlisle tutted disapprovingly. We had to sneak through as there were fans trying to get in around the front. "You can't say nothin' Big C, I'm outside the bus." Dad walked right past him and Tyler grinned.

"Hey Ty, hook these guys up with some gear. They're sound check virgins!" Bella said loudly as we passed him, and I scowled.

"Oh really? Sure thing Belly Boobs. Go get your thing done, and we can hit the playroom." They high fived and Lauren blew him a kiss before we snuck through the corridors and went into a huge room. There were lights flooding the large stage and the seats were all lit up too, although later on when the band were performing they wouldn't be. There were people rushing around, across the stage, in front of the stage, and all over the place around the stage.

"Come on Pretty Boy, we've got music to play." Lauren called, and I hurried to keep up with them.

Dad parked himself in a seat beside a man fiddling with a microphone, and me and Emmett and joined Jasper at one side of the stage whilst Bella, Lauren and Tyler joined their band members on stage and got comfortable with their instruments and what not. The man Dad was with tossed the microphone to a waiting Bella and she caught it easily, even showing off a little by twirling it around her head and over her back before clicking it into the stand. She smiled patronisingly when Dad told her off, and then poked her tongue out at him when he turned his back to her to talk to the microphone man again.

A few minutes later, someone yelled 'Go!' and the sound check began. The microphone man brought me, Em and Jazz a walkie talkie each that we had to clip to the back of our pants and tuck under our shirts and then the ear pierces that matched. They were all on the same frequency as the security in the building already so if anything went wrong we could all communicate. The sound check lasted about forty minutes and then they finished up, hopped off the stage and a woman with curly brown hair told us to follow her. She took us down to a big room where some people with make up and hair stuff were waiting, and me, Em and Jazz had a drink of water and chilled out on a sofa whilst the band were being sorted out ready for their big show. A little while later, Dad popped his head in for a little pep talk, and told us that we could mingle with their supporting band for half an hour after the show and then it was back to the hotel, before high fiving everyone and thanking the make up team and hair people and dashing off. _It's show time people..._

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><p><strong>AN: So, if you have an idea for the band's name I'm open to suggestions. If you'd like a small outtake on Belly Boob's reaction to the guys and Big C's announcement let me know; I might have knocked something up just in case ;) Please let me know what you think by clicking on that tempting...little...button, and I'll reciprocate with outtakes and teasers :P**


	3. Chapter Two

**Alrighty, so this is the second chapter I've edited and changed up a bit. There aren't many changes but some will be more noticeable than others.**

**All mistakes are my own, no beta here**

**Hope you enjoy!**

**Stephenie Meyer rocks; she is the beauty that lets me play with her awesome characters and nickname them ;)**

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><p>Chapter Two : Show Time<p>

LPOV

I couldn't believe it. Of all the people Big C could have asked to be our bloody security, the security none of us even wanted, it had to be his gorgeous sons and nephew. _Edward... _I'd seen pictures of him in Big C's office back in Forks and he carried photos of his family around with him on tour in the bag he usually had with him. They were all fucking amazing, his family, and I was just a tad bit jealous of the Cullen family's looks.

When the hair and make up people had finished with us we were allowed a few minutes to chill out in our band room and get in the zone, ready for the big show. Big C had told us this was an important one, and we all knew he wasn't exaggerating. The show we did back in Forks was nothing compared to what we were doing here, and what we'd be doing for the next nine months. It was only small and we'd had around five, six hundred people there. Tonight there were atleast five thousand. It's unreal. When I left high school three years ago I never would'a believed that I'd be touring with one of the most well known bands in America at the age of twenty one. I'd idolized Isabella Swan when the band first became known, and I'd always envied her life style. Easy and full of money, hot guys and freedom. Of course I'd been wrong about the freedom part, because Big C is always butting in and spoiling our fun, but me and Belly Boobs get through it together. I'd almost had a heart attack when Big C came over to me at a small gig I was doing and offered me a place in the band. It was, _so_ awesome. Even better was meeting them two weeks later. The band. Wow. They were all so welcoming, and I saw a different side to them. It was great, and I fit in perfectly. Soon after that, we'd been booked for a big gig in Seattle and the rest is history. We've been doing tours together with Big C for the last four years, although this is our longest yet and probably the most important for our careers.

"Alright guys, we've gotta get out there now. The Tigers are almost finished." Jasper told us, and we all cheered and squealed.

"See ya in a minute boys." Belly waved at the security as the band moved into our huddle. Edward frowned.

"What? We've got to go out there now, or you'll miss your cue." He gestured towards the door, checking his watch.

"No, we have to have our group huddle, or we're not going out there at all." She said in a stern voice, and me, Tyler, Ben and Mike had to stifle our laughter.

"Fine." Edward sighed, glancing at me and smiling gently before turning back to Belly. "Be quick."

"Okay gang, huddle up!"

I heard the door click and Belly grinned widely in our circle. "Okay, so operation 'annoy the shit out of the security', or AT SOOTS, phase one." Belly started, and we all laughed quietly.

"I think you're doing a pretty good job so far." Mike commented, smiling at us all in turn, but looking pointedly at Belly.

"Well, I think I'm entitled. If Big C thinks he can dump three mega hot guys on us and expect me to play fair, he's really dumb as fuck and we need a new manager." She winked at me and I winked back, giggling. The guys huffed and rolled their eyes, but they were grinning slightly too. They knew what we were like, and they were pretty used to some of terms of, endearment shall I say, for the finer specimens of the male species. "Right, so first, they obviously didn't give them a map of this place because the door over there," She nodded to the other door and we all grinned, knowing what she was going to say, "is not locked, or guarded. We'll go through there and go round to the stage. We'll do our thing, and let Big C get pissed at his Babysitter Brigade for losing us." Ben looked sceptical, but he'd go along with it anyway, and he'd enjoy it just as much as us.

"Where do you get all these ideas from BB?" Tyler asked with a smirk.

"Listen up Testiclees," Belly started and we all tried to hide our laughing by coughing, all except Tyler who grinned widely at his nickname, "A girl mustn't tell her secrets." She paused for a second, and Tyler raised an eyebrow. "Though if you must know, the internet is a wonderful place." Tyler smirked and laughed quietly. "So, you guys ready?" Belly broke away from the circle and stretched her arms and legs out, as did the rest of us. We had to get ready; we'd been original and we had some parts in a few of our songs where we'd all be taking turns dancing and playing each others' instruments and we had some pretty fancy footwork to be doing tonight, and the last thing any of needed was to pull a muscle or tear a ligament. Tyler had done that a couple of years ago on a tour and it'd been pretty damn hard working around it.

"We're good to go Belly Boobs."

The five of us snuck out of the room and crept down the hallway, snickering quietly to ourselves, and raced towards the stage side. "You made it then." The sound engineer that travelled with us, Alec, said with an amused smile when we arrived at the right side of the stage, slightly out of breath and a lot exhilarated. This was going to be fucking awesome! The energy was being fed between us all and even in the corridors of the huge building we were in I could feel the bass thumping and the sound of the fans cheering. I lived for these shows.

"Yep, sure did. The Babysitter Brigade are probably still waiting outside now, stupid shits." Belly laughed as Alec handed us our ear pieces and we all adjusted them properly. I listened to our supporting band, The Night Tigers; they were actually pretty good. "Okay dudes, you ready?" We all smiled at Belly and nodded, high fiving each other and gathering energy from the excitement the crowd was throwing out with their cheers and yelling, singing along with the Tigers' final song.

"Thankyou Seattle! You've been an awesome crowd, but now we're gonna hand you over to the main attraction and the guys you've all been waiting for..." I didn't hear the lead singer's words as I could hear Emmett's voice getting closer, and I nudged Belly. She smirked and winked and then, we ran out onto the stage, waving and beaming as we took in the absolutely massive crowd filling up the arena. When they saw us the cheering and applause was cranked up a notch; it was amazing.

"Well _**hello **_Seattle!" Belly called through the mic', and the crowd yelled back a 'hello'. I couldn't really see most of the audience because of the lights and smoke that was still floating around from The Tigers' set. "We're really pleased to be here tonight, and we're gonna try and make sure that you all are too! We're gonna start off with a song we finished recently, it's awesome and we know you'll love it! Hit it guys!" Belly grinned at me and I poked my tongue out to the side as Tyler began banging out the beat on his drums. I was really excited to see the fans' reaction to this song -Testiclees and Belly wrote it together one night a few weeks ago- because no one had heard it except for the band and Big C.

We played our first song, Use Somebody, and the fans ate it up. It was amazing to see them all dancing, jumping up and down, singing along to the lyrics they could pick up and just smiling to a song that _we'd_ made. We had made these people smile and have fun. This time five years ago I was standing down there watching Belly and the guys singing and dancing, and they were making me smile and laugh and wish that I was like them. Now I was, and it was fan-fucking-tastic. We were feeding off each others' adrenaline and energy, and jumping around on the stage to the song was such a rush, I couldn't believe that I'd been living with just the small gigs in my home town.

Next up was a slightly slower song, Gotta Be Somebody, and just like our opening number the reaction was amazing although we'd played this song at a couple of our tours now. We rocked out to more of our well known and well loved numbers and the atmosphere was buzzing. The fans were great, and in between songs Belly and I told a couple of cool stories about the tour so far and travelling. As usual, the fans ate up every word. When we took a short water break an hour and a half into the show, me and Bella linked arms and skipped off, waving and blowing kisses to the fans. I laughed when I spotted our security standing beside Alec, who had a shit eating grin on his face. "Looks like we're in trouble Belly Boobs."

"Oopsies." She giggled, not looking the least bit worried as we flounced towards the guards.

"What the _**hell **_did you think you were doing Isabella? You could have been late, you could have been kidnapped, gotten lost! So many things could have happened to you and we'd be the ones in shit for it!" Edward barked as soon as we reached him, and I had to stifle my laughter when I saw Emmett's face. Belly Boobs and I had chosen to show off our, assets, a little bit and we'd both worn tight tops. Emmett's eyes were flickering between her face and her chest and I giggled quietly, attracting Edward's attention. My eyes were suddenly trapped in his gaze. "You think this is funny?" He asked me. I couldn't speak, so I simply shook my head 'no', and heard Belly laugh. "Get your drinks, get back out there and perform as good as you had been before this break. No more disappearing acts, and no more telling stupid stories on stage. There are paps out there you know!" A smile spread across my face. _He thinks we were good..._

"Yo Belly Boobs! Rockin' it out there." Emmett winked at Belly and she smirked.

"Glad you're likin' the merchandise Cullen." She winked and he chuckled, shaking his head slightly in amusement. I felt like I was missing something there. _I'll ask Belly later._ "Come on then guys. We've got more rockin' to do." Belly announced after taking a few mouthfuls of her water and we'd all had some of ours that Alec had kindly handed us.

When we finally finished the show we were boiling hot, knackered out and at the same time full of energy and we couldn't stop smiling. We left the stage to the crowd chanting our names and singing our parting song's line... _This party's rockin'! _Usually, when we didn't have the security yapping through our ear pieces, we'd spend a little time on the stage, dancing and doing an encore or two. Tonight though, we couldn't think without having Edward growling through our ears. It wasn't so bad, and we still had three shows to do here before we moved on to the next place. "Great show guys. Carlisle wants you back at the hotel instead of the original plan." Jasper said as he handed a bottle of water to each of us as we passed him. Belly scoffed before fiercely scowling at him.

"Jog on Whiplash. We've gotta go meet the Tigers."

"I'm sorry Bella. Carlisle's order I'm afraid. If I don't take y'all back now he'll pitch a fit." He looked as if he wanted to say something else, but he held back.

"Well I'm might sorry to hear that, but I'm not ditching the Tigers. Feel free to head back yourself. Lozza?" She smiled at me and I nodded, linking arms with her.

"I'm in Belly."

"Yeah me too!" Tyler added, grinning widely at us.

"I'm not passing up the opportunity to meet that Tiger chick. She's hot man!" Mike said with a chuckle. _Typical Micro, chasing after a chick from another band. Big C would __**not **__like that._

"Benjaminge? You living up to your name or are you living on the wild side for once?" Belly asked Ben. He was leaning against the lighting board sipping his water. He shrugged.

"I'm game. Sorry dude." I looked back at Jasper. He seemed to be thinking.

"Guys, I've got orders to adhere to and I'm going to complete them whether you like it or not." Suddenly, I felt strong arms wrap around me from behind and I screamed, hearing Belly's squeal beside me. "Sorry about this, but we kinda figured you'd put up a fight."

I crossed my arms infront of my chest and scowled. Edward was carrying me bridal style and Emmett had Belly over his shoulder because she wouldn't stop wriggling and struggling. I'd given it up straight away, but there was no way Edward was going to carry me and be all bossy and get a view of my tits too, hence the arm crossing. "You know Cullen, you have a nice ass there. Mind if I acquaint myself with it properly?" I couldn't help but snicker when I heard Belly's 'innocent' voice behind us as we were carried through the corridors towards the back entrance and the van. Emmett groaned and I heard her huff as he shifted her.

"Bella, that's probably not a good idea." His voice was husky and I giggled.

"Why not?" Belly sounded shocked and confused, but I recognised the high voice as her fake one. She'd used it many a time with Big C and the other band members when she brought skanky girls back for them. I would never forget the first time Belly dragged me through the town, picking up random hoes and inviting them back to the hotel to hang out with us and the guys. Tyler, Ben and Mike had shit a brick, and then they'd quickly left us saying they had things to do. Ha! I felt a bit sorry for the girls though. We threw them out pretty quickly after that, although they did get autographed photos.

"Don't push me, please. It would have been a lot easier if I could just carry you normally."

"Or if I'd just walk, right?"

"Um, yeah, walking would be easier." Edward laughed and I looked up at his face. Even I could tell that Emmett wasn't keen on the idea of her walking and that he wanted to carry her. It was completely obvious, and my girl was totally not as clueless as she was making out to be.

"Why don't you put me down then, and if I run off, you can try and tackle me. If you win, I'll go quietly. If I win, we get to go back and see the Tigers."

"Bel_la_," He whined, and me and Edward both had to cover our laughter. "Don't. There will be no tackling or seeing the Tigers tonight."

"Ah, so maybe there'll be tackling tomorrow?" I couldn't control my giggles then, and I laughed loudly.

"Edward, shut her up." We finally turned the corner and spotted the doors to the outside world. "Oh thank fuck, the van." As Emmett and Edward set us down in the back of the van and they climbed in the front me and Belly shared a wink and a giggle and then smirked evilly at the other guys as they got in with us. They should be very, very worried. They'd been in on the plan, and they'd only played along with us because they were waiting for Edward and Emmett to arrive and restrain us. They looked terrified. _Good._

We were taken to Carlisle's large suite when we arrived back and of course, me and Belly had to be carried. Again, Emmett slung her over his shoulder after she tried to back flip out of his hold. Oh yes, our Belly is very good at her gymnastics. It always makes for a good show when she does a couple of her tricks on stage; the fans go wild, and so do the reviewers. Edward offered to let me walk on the condition that I behaved, but I couldn't guarantee that I would and so he sighed and carried me inside with a wide smile on his face and an amused chuckle. "I cannot believe the stunt you pulled today." Big C said as soon as the door was closed. Bella pushed up on Emmett's back and lithely back flipped clean out of his hold, surprising him and making the rest of the band smile and laugh. Edward gently put me on my own two feet and I thanked him with a smile, joining Belly where she sat on a small sofa.

"What the fu-"

"Language! Emmett." Big C shouted. _Uh oh. He's angry. Angrier than normal... _"I had a feeling that you would try and push their buttons today, and I was right. I'm not going to question you to find out who's idea this was, because I'm pretty sure that I know anyway." He looked at Belly with a disapproving glint in his blue eyes. "Isabella, why do you do this to me?"

"I'm sorry Big C, but I think we should be asking you that question." Big C looked at us all, confusion clear on his face, and ran a hand through his hair.

"I apologise. I don't understand."

"I do believe that we had all agreed that we wouldn't have security guards."

"And I do believe that I told you why I asked them to come here." Belly sighed loudly.

"Yeah, yeah. We're out of control, I don't go to sound check 'coz I'm f-" Big C interrupted her before she could swear.

"Enough! Okay," He took a steadying breath. "I have had enough of trying to chase you around, Bella. I have had enough of having to send people after you when you don't turn up to a _sound check_! I have had enough of not knowing how long my career and yours are going to be safe because you constantly disrespect the boundaries I have set for _your _benefit." He ran his hand through his hair, and for the first time, I felt worried. "Guys, girls, I have been looking at new managers for you. After this tour, you'll be receiving my resignation." I gasped, and everyone in the room choked on air, gasped, or looked worriedly around at everyone else. Even his sons and nephew didn't seem to have been expecting this news.

"What? You're, leaving?" I asked, terrified.

"At the end of this tour, yes. I probably will be. I wouldn't abandon you in the middle of a big tour like this."

"You can't leave!" I cried. "You're the one who found me, you found them. Without you, it won't be the same. We'll all be rubbish, you hold us together Big C." He looked saddened.

"You will be fine, Lauren. I'll make sure I find a suitable replacement for me, and I'll make sure they are up to date on the things that they need to do to make it all easier for you." He explained in a gentle voice.

"No." Belly said then, and all eyes turned to her as she stood up.

"No?" Big C asked.

"No. You can't leave us Big C. You're one of us. Without you, the band will be nothing." Big C spared her a small smile.

"Thank you, Bella, but you can still sing and dance and be as wonderful as you all are without me. You did it tonight. I left after the talk with you, and you did wonderfully."

"How do you know we did wonderfully if you weren't there?"

"I had Marcus film it and live stream it to my laptop here. You were amazing, I am extremely proud of all of you." Big C smiled at each of us before standing and walking so he was in front of Belly. "Bella, I need you to understand that you are going to have to change the way you act. A better manager would have dealt with this much sooner, but I have let it go on. When the replacement comes, you are going to have to remedy your behaviour because they won't stand for it. I know, and you know, that you are better than this."

"I'm not, and what you're doing is wrong Carlisle. You belong managing us. We're your band, and if you leave, we're nothing." Belly turned and left the room, slamming the door behind her. I jumped up to follow, but I felt a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Let me." Emmett said firmly, and I complied. I don't know why I did, but it seemed like the right thing to do. "Pops, please can I have their room key?" Big C threw him the car and he left the room quickly. I sighed, slumping back into my seat.

"I'm sorry everyone. I don't think I'm the right manager for you any more." Big C said quietly.

"How could you think that?" Ben said then. He was the first of the guys to speak. "Lozza was right. You hold us together. We'd be a wreck without you."

"Benjaminge is right Big C. You're the man for our band." Mike piped up.

"I'm grateful for your kind words Ben, Mike, Lauren, and I know that Bella means well too."

"She called you Carlisle, Big C." Tyler pointed out with a grim expression. Big C looked sad.

"I know, and I understand that she may be very angry with me right now. I don't know what is for the best. If I let someone else take over, they might be able to reign her in and keep the band going. I don't think I could do that."

"I'll talk to Belly." I said quickly. _I wasn't lying. If me and Belly cleaned up our act, it might keep Big C with us._

"I appreciate it." Big C said with a smile. He glanced across the room and looked shocked. "It's almost three am, you guys had better get to your rooms. We have an early start tomorrow. I have had wake up calls scheduled for each of you at ten am."

"Okay, night Big C."

"Night Big C, see ya in the mornin'."

"G'Night Big C."

"Goodnight. Jasper, Edward, please could you wait a moment. I'd like to speak with you." Me, Tyler and Ben left the room and walked wearily to our rooms down the hall.

"Do you really think he'll leave?" Ben asked us quietly as we stopped outside my shared room.

"I hope not." I said honestly.

"Me too. He's awesome. If he leaves, some other manager will change everythin'." Tyler said with a soft smile.

"I agree. I'll talk to Belly, she'll agree too."

"Night Lozza." Ben gave me a half hearted high five and I high fived Tyler and Mike too.

"Night guys.

We'd been talking for a while outside the room and I was getting more and more exhausted. With the news Big C had thrown on us and the awesome show we'd put on earlier my body was falling asleep and my eyes were struggling to stay open. If we hadn't had an alcohol ban on and we'd been able to join the Tigers in the band room I would most likely have been able to stay awake all night. Me and Belly often did and it angered Big C, although he'd joined us a few times and along with our band mates we'd had a really good night as one big group. No doubt it would be even more fun with Emmett, Edward and Jasper tagging along too. We'd have to try and persuade Big C to stay so we could try it out one time at least.

I fiddled around in my purse to find my key card and remembered that I didn't have one because we'd locked ourselves out. Just about to knock loudly on the door I realised that it was unlocked, and when I pushed it gently it opened wider; I crept inside. A huge smile spread across my face when my eyes locked onto the big double bed on the left. Emmett was laying on his side in the middle of the bed and Belly was curled up against him, her head against his chest and her arm around his waist tightly gripping his black 'security' shirt at his lower back. They were both sound asleep. I didn't want to wake them or disturb them so I quietly grabbed my bag and snuck out into the hall. I decided that I'd knock on Edward's door seeing as his room partner was in my room, and I may have had a couple more motives...

"Oh. Hey Lauren." Edward answered the door looking more than a little confused. He looked around behind me. "Where's Bella? And have you seen Emmett?"

"Belly's in bed, and so's Emmett." The colour drained from his face.

"Oh my God. Are you joking?_Shit_, Dad will kill him." I rushed to correct him.

"No! They're not sleeping together, sleeping together. They're actually asleep. They're in my room." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Ok. Um, do you wanna come in, or...?" He trailed off and I smiled.

"Sure. Thanks." He let me in and showed me where I could sleep; in the large double bed on one side of the room. He had already settled himself on one of them and I saw an open book resting on his pillow. "What're you readin'?" I asked curiously, settling myself on the comfy bed. Edward sat on his own bed and closed the book, quickly shoving it away into his bag.

"Nothin', just an old book I've had since college."

"Ah ok. Do you mind if I take a shower? I feel gross."

"Er, ok. It's just through there." He nodded at the door to my right and I smiled widely.

"Thanks. I won't be long."

As I washed my hair in the shower I thought of ways to attract Edward's attention. I could always walk back out there in just a towel and ask him where something was or say that I'd forgotten something. Then, no. I brought my bag in with me and there wasn't anything that I could ask for really. I could always pick some skimpy clothes to wear back out there. He'd never be able to resist some of the things I had in my bag. No man could. I giggled with delight and hurriedly finished up, shaving quickly for good measure and then drying off. I used the hotel hair dryer and then rummaged through my bag. I found the perfect lingerie to wear that I could pass off as pyjamas too, and quickly put them on. No. Edward wouldn't be able to resist. After I'd packed up the things I'd gotten out, I walked back into the main room. I scowled when I heard Edward's soft snoring coming from his bed. He'd fallen asleep. _Fucking Hell. _My bag landed on the floor with a thud and I grumpily climbed into my bed, curling up but turning over so I could watch Edward's side lightly rising and falling in time with his breaths. _He will be mine, one way or another..._

"Lauren, you have to go now. Me and Emmett need to get ready." My dreams were shattered by Edward's rough voice, sounding ever so slightly irritated. "Lauren? Are you awake?" My eyes were still shut, but he could obviously tell that I was awake. "Emmett." Edward sighed, and then suddenly I felt two big hands on my sides, tickling mercilessly. I gasped for air and laughed, in between pain and amusement.

"Stop you goddamn bastard!" I yelled eventually, trying to catch my breath as he let me go and stood back with a grin. "So, how'd it go with Belly Boobs?" His smile drooped slightly, but then he grinned.

"A lot better that your night with Pretty Boy." I scowled and hopped out of bed, smiling delightedly at Edward's sharp intake of breath when my outfit was revealed.

"Whatever you ugly martian. Bet you're sorry you went to sleep now, huh?" Edward looked away quickly as I grabbed my bag and lingered in the doorway of their room.

"You're not seriously walking back in that?" Emmett asked as I opened the door, sounding somewhat amused.

"Why not?" I shrugged, and he chuckled loudly. Edward looked aghast.

"You can't! That's...Lauren, put some fucking clothes on."

"I've got clothes on, can't you see them?" With a laugh, I watched as his eyes ran over me. He grumbled something under his breath, sounded like 'there's not much to see is there? Devil woman.' He looked like he was suffering. _Hehe, serves him right. _"Anyway, see yah later boys!" I sung, opening the door and sashaying down the hall to my room.

"Make sure you're both ready in an hour!" Edward called after me before their door slammed with Emmett's raucous laughter.

"Oh, hey!" Belly opened the door a few moments after my knock. "How'd it go with Pretty Boy?" She had a glint in her eye, and I knew it was most likely something to do with Emmett.

"Meh, didn't get anywhere much. Not till this morning." She giggled and plopped down in the middle of her bed, patting the space infront of her. I dumped my bag and joined Belly.

"Spill Lozza." She instructed, and I told her everything. She giggled when I told her about him mumbling. "Well, we know what we're doing tomorrow morning then." She was grinning evilly and I knew exactly what she was talking about. We high fived.

"Awesome. So, your night?" Her face flamed red, and she looked down. "Hey, what happened?" I spoke quietly.

"I broke down. I know it's my fault Big C wants to leave, so I'm going to do something about it. No more fucking random guys. No more sneaking out in the middle of the night," she looked thoughtful for a second, "unless it's an absolute emergency anyway." We giggled. "And I'm not going to drink, as much. I won't go cold turkey, but I won't get hammered _every _night." I nodded supportively.

"Okay, well, I'll try and abide by those rules too, but I don't know if I'll be able to." She grinned.

"It's okay. If you wanna shower, I'm gonna go see Big C."

"Sure, bagsy the freebies!" I yelled, leaping off the sofa and running for the bathroom amidst the mess we'd made of our bedroom. "Oh, we're gonna have to clean this up. Big C will go ape."

"Nah it's okay, I paid someone to do it after we leave." Belly giggled, grabbing her black hoodie and bounding out of the room. "See yah in a bit Lozza!"

"Bye Belly Boobs!"

When Belly returned half an hour later I was dressed in a pair of white skinny jeans and a vibrant green tank top with matching flip flops and a green alice band holding my bleach blonde hair back. I had added a few pieces of wacky jewellery and a black belt around my waist with skulls and crossbones. My make up was done simply but dark and slightly Gothic. Belly smiled approvingly when she saw my outfit. "Lookin' Good Lozz."

"Thanks Belly. How'd it go?"

"Alright. I apologised for yesterday, and he said he forgives me. Anyway, I need'a get ready. The guys are already in the lobby and Dumb and Dumber are in the hall outside their room.

"Have you already showered?" I just noticed that her hair looked slightly damp, and she shook it out of the ponytail it had been in.

"Yep." She was grinning.

"What are you up to Belly?" I asked cautiously, a smile spreading across my face.

"Nothing!" She used her 'innocent' voice again. "What ever makes you think that?" She attempted a God awful British accent.

"Oh, nothing. Just the evil smirk on your face."

"Let's just say that poor old Cullen isn't gonna know what's hit him."

And he didn't. Cullen, that is. Belly did her make up in a light, almost elegant way, and she curled her hair quickly and put it into a twist with her bangs hanging down. She wore a short, tight black skirt and a black striped cardigan with the sleeves pulled up to her elbows. The cardi was flattering on her slim figure and it shows her boobs off wonderfully without being slutty. She matched the whole thing with a pair of stunning silver heels. She'd bought them when we went to England for a show last year, and I had a pair in black. "You look, awesome." I told her, and she grinned widely.

"Well, hopefully Cullen will think so."

"Do you really like him or something?" I ask, watching as her wide smile drops slightly.

"No! What the fuck Lozza? The rule we invented: Don't, fuck, the, staff." She said it slowly, as if she were trying to convince somebody. It's her she was trying to convince, although she doesn't know about the time me and Tyler snuck off after a show and got freaky. Quite a good night actually, but it was too weird. He's like a really fucking annoying brother. Wrong on sooo many levels.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Come on then, we've gotta go do whatever shit Big C has us signed up for." She laughed and grabbed her bag, throwing it over her shoulder and linking arms with me.

"You know Lozza, something tells me today won't be so bad." She said cryptically, leading me to the door. Just as we reached it, there was a loud knock.

"Morning Cullen." Belly greets them, smiling briefly at Cullen and poking her tongue out at Edward. "Pretty Boy." He scowls and nods slightly, looking and smiling at me beside her.

"Come on girls, we've got a lot of stuff to do today." Cullen tells us, not taking his eyes off of Belly. He looked worried.

"Let's go then." Belly and I wander down the hall, leaving Cullen and Edward to close the door and hurry after us.

"So, looks like he's hooked Belly. What're you gonna do next? Jump him?" I asked quietly, giggling as she flips me the finger.

"Shut it you. Just 'cause you're not gettin' any."

"And you are?" I smirked when she grimaced.

"Fuck you." She says jokingly as we round the corner into the lobby.

"Bella! Language." We all laugh as Big C grins at Belly and scolds her.

"Sorry Big C." She calls back, and we join the guys.

Big C, Whiplash, Micro, Benjaminge and Testiclees are all dressed casually. Big C hasn't got his usual suit pants and shirt on, instead he is wearing cream combats and a white polo shirt with a sports bag tucked under his arm. The other guys are in much the same kind of attire, all with a small bag. "What are we doing today Big C? And what happened to your pansy suit?" He grinned and I raised an eyebrow.

"We're going to make use of the hotel's facilities today to celebrate the show last night. You were all great, and we don't have any events until tomorrow. Rosalie and Jessica will be present tomorrow too. The hotel has kindly closed the pool to all other customers today, and we have it to ourselves as well as the jacuzzi and steam room." A chorus of "yes!", "awesome Big C" and "woo hoo"'s rung out, and I looked to Belly beside me. She was smiling smugly, a hint of mischief in her big brown eyes.

"I've got your bikini." She told me.

"This is gonna be great!" I cried, and Big C grinned proudly.

"Right, now we're all here, let's get going!" He rubbed his hands together and led us towards the big glass doors that were now curtained off so no one could see inside.

"Cowabunga!" Mike leapt off the diving board and flopped into the warm water sending a huge splash of water up in the air and cascading down all over me, Ben and Tyler. Jasper, Edward and Emmett were sitting on chairs with Big C, looking over some paperwork. Big C told us that the four of them would be in as soon as they were finished. Belly was still in the changing rooms. She'd had to dash off to answer a phone call just after we entered the pool room, and she'd returned half an hour later. We were all already in the pool by then, and though I'd offered to come and wait with her she'd told me it was fine.

"Alrighty, it's Emmett time now!" Emmett's booming voice bounced off the glass walls and we all looked over just in time to see him yank his shirt off and pull his trousers off to reveal a pair of red and white Hawaiian swimming trunks. Edward stripped off too, and then Jasper. Edward's trunks were emerald green, the same colour as his eyes, and Jasper's were chequered white, black and red. Carlisle was next, and his trunks were a dark purple. They contrasted nicely with his hair. "Look out everyone!" Emmett threw himself into the water, drenching us all and making everyone laugh at the same time.

"Emmett, don't kill the band! We need them or we'll lose our jobs you ass." Jasper called before diving in, followed by Edward. Carlisle made us all laugh by going to the diving board and dropping effortlessly and gracefully through the air until he slid into the water, making hardly a splash at all. We all cheered and clapped as he popped back up.

"Thank you, thank you." He nodded and grinned.

"Water polo?" Edward yelled then, holding up a ball and pointing to the net lying by the side of the pool.

"I'm in!" I called.

"Me too!"

"Yeah, let's do it!"

Ten minutes later, we had divided into two teams and were playing a rather edited version of the water sport. I was with Jasper, Carlisle and Edward versus Emmett, Mike, Ben and Tyler. The team scores were tied on ten and we were breaking for lunch after the next point was scored, so we were all sizing each other up and taunting the other team. Carlisle started the volley, with Mike smashing it back over the net. I leapt up and Edward held my waist so I could reach. I hit it back over the net but it was flying straight to Emmett, and he was the best player out of all of us by a mile. I huffed. Dammit, they'd win now for sure. But to my surprise, it bounded off his head and into the water. "Yes!" My team cheered, Edward sitting me on his shoulder and spinning us round. We were all in the midst of celebrating when I realised why Emmett had missed the ball. Belly was sitting on the small bench beside the changing room doors rubbing lotion onto her legs. I grinned. She was wearing her favourite bikini, and she rocked it. The scraps of material, because they weren't much more than scraps, were blood red in colour and barely covered anything. She was sitting sideways on the bench, giving everyone a profile view of her, and she was leisurely applying the lotion she refused to swim without.

"Lookin' good Belly! If I bent that way, you'd so be first on my list!" I winked at her when I caught her eye now Edward had put me back down, and she grinned back.

"Really? I was thinking about putting the blue one piece on..." She was a sly one. I knew exactly what she was doing, sneaky, sneaky Belly.

"No, I like that one better." Out of the corner of my eye I could see Emmett attempting to look casually in her direction, and failing. "Well... maybe that one is a bit revealing." Emmett's reaction was comical, and I had to bite back a laugh. He looked pained, as if the thought of her putting something else on would kill him.

"Ok." Belly put the lid back on the bottle and stretched out slowly as she stood up, and I heard Emmett's quiet groan. "Big C, do I have time for a swim with Lozza?" She shouted across to Big C, who was now sitting on the side of the pool talking to Ben and Tyler.

"Yes, the food is being brought down to us." Big C smiled warmly, and I thought how nice it was that he was relaxing and having fun with us, instead of having to make sure that we weren't having too much fun, if you know what I mean. It was the first time I'd ever seen Big C actually out of his suit for a long time.

"Awesome." Belly walked to the edge of the pool and stretched her arms above her head before diving cleanly into the pool; no splash at all.

"Woah! That was wicked Bella! Where did you learn to dive like that?" Edward asked when she resurfaced, grinning broadly.

"My Dad taught me." She shrugged, making her way to me and floating on her back when she was by my side. Emmett was still 'casually' staring at her.

"Awesome." Edward looked slightly dazed, and then quickly turned and started doing laps down the pool whilst me and Belly moved over to hang off the side of the pool.

"You're a tease girly." I giggled as Belly turned to me, and expectant look on her grinning face.

"I aim to impress." She shrugged, running her fingers through her hair and throwing a quick glance over my shoulder towards Emmett.

"He couldn't take his eyes off you!" I whisper-giggled. "If you'd stretched one more time he probably would have screamed and jizzed himself." She laughed loudly, and when I turned and leaned against the side of the pool next to Belly, I realised all eyes were on us.

"Seriously? I didn't think he looked that bothered? I was all for givin' up and going back to get changed."

"Belly! No man could resist your devilish flirting even if they wanted to. Even Emmett." She looked at me, unsure. It really hit me then that my best friend was really crushing on our new security guard. I'd seen her crushing before, but usually she lusted after them for a bit and then either bedded them and let them go or forgot about them and moved on to someone else. This time though, with Emmett, she was different. Her usual 'technique' was to ignore the guy and let him come to her, but I watched Belly as she subtly watched the guys splashing around at the other end of the pool, and knew that I was going to help her. Tonight we'd talk and come up with a strategy, and tomorrow morning we'd sneak out and begin our pampering routine. Carlisle called us over for some lunch, and I sighed, hearing Belly's grumbled words as we swam to the tables. "There is one guy that can resist, but it's the one that I really fucking don't want to."

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><p><strong>So, thoughts anyone? :P<strong>


	4. Chapter Three

**So, I'm really pleased with the amount of people who've been reading! I checked after an hour of updating and I already had s hundred  
><strong>**views! Of course, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want any reviews to know what those hundred people thought but...meh, it's your choice :)**

**I just wanted to clear a couple of things up, just to save anyone wondering:**

**Bella - Twenty two years old  
><strong>**Emmett - Twenty six years old  
><strong>**Lauren - Twenty one years old  
>Tyler - Twenty one years old<br>Edward - Twenty two years old  
>Mike - Twenty four years old<br>Jessica - Twenty eight years old (She hasn't been really introduced yet)  
>Ben - Twenty two years old<br>Jasper - Twenty six years old**

**This chapter is mostly just filler, but there are important bits that do develop the plot too so don't skip ahead ;) All mistakes are my own.**

**Stephenie Meyer is responsible for the characters, I just nickname and play with their lives :P Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter Three: Damn dimples<p>

BPOV

I looked around blankly, having to try really hard to hold in the laughter that wanted to bubble out. _These guys' poker faces are shit, _I thought amusedly. Pretty Boy had opted out of playing, choosing to watch Lozza instead. Lozza was grinning madly, so she obviously thought she had a good hand. Big C was typing some crap on his fancy pants laptop in the corner, frowning just like his sons do. Whiplash was scowling at the cards in his hands; he'd be folding at the first chance he gets. Mike, Ben and Tyler had all folded already. That left Lozza, Whiplash, me, and my nemesis. Cullen's face was serious but the twitch of his lips alerted me to the fact that he probably had a decent hand. He was just _itching _to grin, I could tell.

A few minutes later I was proved right as he belted out a chuckle and slapped his hand down on the table so we could all see. _Nice. _"Four of a kind, nice." Cullen grinned widely and winked.

"Don't worry Belly, you'll win next time." As a smile spread across my face I frowned.

"Why wait until next time?" I slowly turned my hand over and watched with satisfaction as his grin fell right off his face.

"Straight flush..." he mumbled desolately as everyone else in the room roared in laughter, me not included.

"Mm hm. You'd do well to remember who the poker champion is, Cullen." He huffed as I winked and stood up, cracking my knuckles. "Right, I'm off to bed. Lozza?" Lozza got up and we said our good-night's to the shocked guys, heading down the hall to our room straight after with our arms linked.

"That was hilarious, Belly. You really had him." Lozza laughed as we stripped off, tugged on our usual t-shirt pj's and flopped into the double beds we'd pushed right next to each other.

"Yeah well, guys should remember that woman are the bosses." Lozza snorted.

"Hey, Belly?"  
>"Yeah Lozza?"<p>

"D'you ever imagine what it'd be like to be with Cullen?"

"Ha, all the time." I smirked into the darkness.

Lozza hit the bed weakly with a giggle-snort, "no you slut. I meant _be _with him. Like date him." I sighed and rolled onto my side, reaching out to hold my best friend's hand. It'd been a week since Big C's Babysitter Brigade had arrived and we were in Bozeman, Montana, now. It was our first night here and we had our first show tomorrow. Spokane, our last stop, had been out of this world awesome. Thousands and thousands of people screaming our names? How do you beat that? We had four days here and then we were moving on to a smaller place called Miles City. The population was a lot smaller there, but sometimes we had our best shows in the smaller cities and towns so I was looking forward to it. In the past few days Cullen and Pretty Boy had been around me and Lozza a lot under Big C's orders. It had gotten annoying at first, but we had our ways of persuading them around. "Hey, you asleep?"  
>"Nah, thinkin'."<br>"Yeah I could _hear _it." Lozza snickered, squeezing my hand. "It's ok. I get it." She murmured then.

"Thanks Lozza, you're my best friend for a reason." I squeezed her hand back and silently let the tears come as I slowly drifted off to sleep, her hand still in mine.

The next afternoon Lozza, Micro, Benjaminge and Testiclees gathered around on my bed and we came up with a plan to surprise Big C. See, it's his birthday tomorrow and I'm pretty sure he thinks we've forgotten. We haven't, but we're lettin' him think we have. I pull out my cell and dial the number Lozza managed to get from Big C's phone yesterday in the van whilst I distracted him and then set it to loud speaker so the others can hear. "Hello? Who's this?" A sweet sounding voice asks. It's familiar but I haven't heard it in _ages_. Way too long actually.

"Hey Esme! It's us!" She squeals and we all laugh.

"Oh you guys! I haven't seen you all in far too long. I miss you all already. How's it been going? You causing my husband a lot of grief yet?" Again, we all laugh.

"Only a teensy bit, Esme. You know us. Perfect angels." Micro laughs and Esme agrees laughingly; now, it's time for the business part of the deal.

"Ok, we had motives for calling you. It's Big C's birthday tomorrow, right?"

"Oh, you remembered! Yes, it is. Do you have something planned?" Esme sounded excited and we all crossed our fingers at the same time, hoping she still would be when we told her our plan.

"Well yeah, and it sorta involves you. That is if you aren't too busy."

Esme laughed, "I'll get my bag and drive down to the airport, ok? You're going to ask me to come over aren't you? And I assume the jet is booked." There were cheers and fist pumps all round as I grinned at Lozza across from me.

"Thanks Esme, you got it. Demetri flew in this morning so he should be set to go." We all chatted to Esme for a few minutes and then she let us go so she could get herself ready for the plane ride. It'd only take a couple of hours at most, probably about forty five minutes really, so she'd be here while we were at the sound check. Just after I hung up and high fived my band members there was a knock on the door.

"Ten minutes guys!" Pretty Boy yelled through the door. The guys all got up and buggered off, knowing the routine Lozza and I had. I closed the door behind them, waving to Cullen and Pretty Boy who were leaning against the wall outside, before sitting down next to Lozza so we could do our make up. "So, what'd you get him?" I asked curiously.

"New planner thingy. His old one is fallin' apart." She told me a moment later once she'd done her lip gloss. "You?"

I grinned, "a photo of his family."

Lozza looked at me in the mirror, her eyes wide so she could do her mascara. "His family?"

"Us? I want to show him he can't leave us at the end of the tour." She agreed that it was a good idea and all too soon there was another knock on the door. "Comin'!" Lozza chucked me my hoodie, I clipped my hair back and we walked out of our room with our arms linked. Pretty Boy grinned and nodded in greeting, reaching around us to close the door as had become custom. Cullen flashed us his enormous dimples and I felt my cheeks heating so I turned, tugged up my hood and dragged Lozza along with me.

"Hey, what was that about?" She whispered.

"Dimples." I mumbled, careful to be quiet enough that Pretty Boy and Cullen couldn't hear from behind us.

"Huh?"

I rolled my eyes. "His damn dimples! They're too fucking adorable!" I hiss, making Lozza crack up laughing. When she still hasn't stopped by the time we reach the elevator I let go of her arm and opt to run down the steps instead. I'm in flats tonight so it's more viable than it would have been if I'd been in heels, although I still would have done it.

By the time I got to the lobby Cullen was the only one there. "Where's everyone?" I asked as he sauntered towards me with a puzzled frown.

"Why'd you take the stairs?" He asked instead of answering my question. Because I'm clearly a bitch and his damn dimples had evidently offended me I stomped away, ignoring him completely. The RV was outside and I climbed in, slamming the door behind me despite the fact that Cullen was following me, and stomped to the back where Lozza was sitting in the living room area with Micro and Testiclees. I put my headphones in and sat back, closing my eyes. A moment later the RV started moving and I relaxed; soon we'd be on stage and I wouldn't have to even think about stupid Emmett Cullen and his ridiculously adorable dimples.

**LPOV**

"Hello _Bozeman_!" Belly yells into the mike, grinning out at the audience. There's about eight thousand people here tonight, so not the biggest crowd we've ever had, but the atmosphere is electric. There's a storm rolling in and the arena we're in only has a partial roof; the stage is beneath the room thank God. "How is everyone? Enjoyin' yourselves?" We all laugh lightly at their loud answering cheer. "I'm glad! I'm havin' a pretty good time too and our openin' guys rocked it, thanks Tigers!" The past few nights we'd finally gotten to hang out with our supporting band a bit and they're great. Three guys and a girl. Their all brothers and sister, so they're close too. It's a little weird, but they're amazing. It wouldn't surprise me if they have their own supporting band this time next year. "So, me and my good friends here have a new song we think you might like. Dunno, you might hate it, but we hope you don't! Here it is, use somebody! Hit it Ty!" I sighed as the opening notes of the song filled the arena and strummed on my guitar as Belly started her voodoo shit on the audience, singing and entrancing them and doing her thing.

"Someone like you, somebody. Someone like you, somebody. Someone like you, somebody. I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see..." The audience went wild, screaming and clapping and jumping around. I panted as Belly did a bow and thanked each of us, the applause going on until after we'd run off the stage. It'd been a great show and we'd finished off with the song we started with, use somebody. It was a big hit with every audience we'd seen so far, and we all loved performing it. Testiclees loves banging out his shit on the drums and the crowds love it too so we write it in as much as possible.

"Hey, Belly!" I yell after her as she weaves through the busy corridors, turning round sharply when a large hand wraps around my arm. "What?" I snap, realising that it's Cullen. "Wha'd'you want?" He frowns and lets go of my arm, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"What did I do to Bella? She's blanking me and stomping everywhere." He said quietly. I only just heard him over the noise of everyone around us and huffed, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the dressing room I'd gotten ready in earlier.

"Listen Cullen, Belly is a sensitive girl under all the bullshit and tough crap. I dunno what you did, but I need to catch up to her and find out what's wrong. Think you can help me with that?" He grimaced and frowned deeper.

"How? She isn't gonna come to me is s-"

"No dumb ass. Use the walkie and ask your pals where she went? Duh." Minutes later I was running down the hall towards the back exit. One of the security dudes saw her head out there a minute before so hopefully I'd catch her before she did a runner. Skidding to a stop outside in the muggy air I huffed, realising that I'd missed her.

"Hey Lozza. You lookin' for me?"

"Shit! Belly! You fuckin' _scared _me." She was hunched over a beer crate with a can in one hand and a lit smoke in the other. "What the hell was that all about back there? Why're you ignoring me?" I sat on the crate next to her, lighting up a smoke for myself and inhaling deeply once it was lit. We leaned back against the wall and turned our heads to look at each other; her eyes were full of tears so I tossed the smoke on the floor, stamped on it quickly and pulled my best friend into me. "Oh Belly Boobs, what the hell's wrong?"

"Lozza...I screwed up. Ya know that guy back in Forks...Peter somethin'?" I frowned and nodded, rubbing circles on Belly's back to calm her down.

"What about him? Didn't you sleep with him a few times?"

"Yeah." She sniffled. "Four. Lozza I missed my period last week."

**EmPOV**

"Hey Bro, where's the girls? Dad called and he wants them back in an hour." Edward walked towards me and sat on the chair opposite the sofa I was on. "What's up?"

"Nothin'." I ran my hand through my hair, wincing when it hurt my hand.

"Shit Em! What did you _do_? Dad's gonna flip if you hit someone."

"Not someone." Edward frowned at my grumbled words and I huffed out a breath, meeting his eyes. "Bella stormed off earlier and took the stairs, right?" He nodded slowly. "Ok, and when I met her at the bottom she completely blanked me. She's been ignoring me all day. I don't know what I did, and neither does Lozza, so I'm just..." I blow out a long breath, frustration and worry and anger swirling together along with the pain in my clenched fist.

"You hit something though, didn't you? Your hand is bleeding." I didn't realise Jazz had come in, and I groan. "You should let Uncle Carlisle look at it when we get back. I just saw Lozza and Belly by the way. They're in the RV." When I jump up to head out the door my bonehead cousin gets in the way with a grim expression on his face. "I wouldn't go there, man. She looks really upset. Leave her alone for a bit, maybe she'll be ok when we go back." With an almighty growl of annoyance I storm back to the sofa, throwing myself down and banging my head against my fists as they rest on my I want to do is go to the woman who simultaneously infuriates, frustrates and enamours me.

When we get the call from Dad half an hour later to bring everyone back to the hotel I hurry ahead, leaving Ed and Jazz to get the guys to the RV so I can see Lozza and Belly. The former meets me at the door to the RV with a strange look on her face. "Hey, Cullen, can I talk to you a sec? Before the others get here?"

"Um, sure. Sure." She takes me into the kitchen-type area and leans on the counter.

"I need you to cover for me and Belly tomorrow morning. You're meant to be taking us to the mall, right? And Pretty Boy and Whiplash are taking the guys out?" I frown, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Yeah...that's the plan."

"Good. So, we gotta go somewhere else. You can't come so..."

Understanding dawned and I sighed heavily. "Lozza, you know I can't just let your guys wander off. Dad'd chop my balls off and I'd be in serious shit." Her eyes widened and I spotted the beginning of tears, knowing she was about to play me. Big time.

"_Please _Cullen? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't really important. I'm fine with you comin', but Belly doesn't...she wants it to be just us." A whimper of frustration left me as the RV door swung open and Ed walked inside with the others close behind.

"Hey guys. Y'alright?" Jazz asked cheerily, clapping me on the back as he went to the fridge and pulled out some beers.

"Yeah. Lozza, I'll talk about it tomorrow, ok?" Lozza nodded and sighed, kissing my cheek before she scampered off towards the main bedroom where Belly was hiding. I decided to indulge and slumped next to Jazz on the sofa, downing two beers before we even hit the highway. _Life sure is shit. _

**LPOV**

I slide into the bed beside Belly, smiling gently. "It's ok, I think he's gonna agree." She nods silently, her eyes still screwed shut. "You feelin' alright?"

"Mm hm. Just like I'm dying but that's ok, right?" She snapped. I huffed and waited for her to open her eyes and apologise; we arrived at the hotel five minutes later and she still hadn't said a word. We all piled out, Belly and I last, and went to our rooms. The guys all headed for Big C's suite but I took my bestie to our room and told the others she'd eaten something dodgy. The only one of them that seemed even slightly affected by the news was Cullen, but the alcohol he'd obviously had in the RV dimmed his reaction a lot.

Belly tumbled into the bathroom while I changed into some pj's and set a pair out for her when she came back. I also called reception and asked for some extra pillows, a bottle of wine and one glass, and a large portion of fries with ketchup. By the time Belly fell into bed twenty minutes later it'd arrived. I drank the wine, she ate the fries and we both made use of the extra pillows by separating the beds and building a kick ass fort between them. "So..." I trailed off, staring at her. She grimaced and put the fries down.

"So."

"Are you gonna tell Big C? If you are, I mean."

"I...if I do..." We both sighed.

"If you do he's gonna flip his shit but there ain't much he can do now is there."

"Guess not." We sat in silence for a while, thinkin' probably. "What will I do? If I tell him and I am." I couldn't answer. What was I supposed to say? If she is and we're still in tour...shit, I don't know anything about this stuff. I'm twenty one years old for God's sake. I was seventeen when Big C asked me to join the band and we've been doing gigs since then. Our real tours started once I left high school. I have no idea what'll happen tomorrow if she _is _what she thinks she is. I fall asleep later with Belly sobbing in my arms, both of us wondering what'll happen to us whatever happens tomorrow morning.

**EmPOV**

"Thanks for this, Cullen." My eyes dart to my right sharply.

"Um, you're welcome, Belly." It's the first time she's spoken since she arrived at my door this morning with Lozza and we loaded up into the car. We're driving into the town towards an unknown destination, but Lozza is reading me directions from a map she managed to get from somewhere so we know roughly where we're going; well, they do. I have no fucking idea and it's annoying the hell out of me. If Dad finds out I deviated from his little plan...

"We were just gonna ask you to cover, but then we realised we'd need a ride, so..." Lozza told me to take the next right and covered the awkward silence after Belly trailed off.

"Ok, stop here. We can walk this bit. Can you get us in about half an hour? I'll text you when we're done." I pulled over outside a bunch of small houses and frowned.

"I don't like this. I'm supposed to be looking after you girls." A hand on my forearm startled me and I shit myself.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry." Belly moved her hand from my arm like I burned her and wrapped her hands around herself. "Um, you are looking after us by letting us come here today. Thanks Cullen, it means a lot. I'll get Lozza to text you." Before she climbed out Belly leaned across and kissed my cheek quickly. The next thing I knew, they were jogging down the street arm in arm. I sighed and slumped back in my seat, accepting that they needed to do this, whatever it is, and I'd just have to be patient.

Forty minutes later I was impatient and starting to get worried. I called Belly's cell and found it was on the floor beside me; she must have dropped it when she got out. I tried Lozza's and sighed with relief when she answered on the fourth ring. "Where are you? I-"

"We'll be right there. Everything was fine so we're on our way back...Belly! No! Come back you crazy bitch!" Lozza laughed loudly over the phone and I felt my frustration turn to anger as the realisation hit me that I'd been played harder than ever.

"Lozza, get back here. Now." With a wince I slammed my phone onto the seat beside me. My hand was sore from its meeting with the wall last night so it didn't really help to hit it against leather seats. Minutes later Lozza and Belly strolled up the street, the latter clutching something in her hands. I frowned and started the engine, taking steadying breaths as they climbed in.

It took seconds for me to realise what she had in her lap. "Oh _hell _no! What the fuck have you done?" Belly scowled at me, petting the black and white ball of fluff on her lap.

"Fuck off Cullen. This has nothin' to do with you."  
>"The hell it doesn't!"<p>

"Oh, Cullen, lighten up. It's only a kitten for God sake." Lozza tutted, cooing at the thing Belly was holding from behind her seat. I huffed out an angry breath, consoling myself with one thought.

"Fine. What ever. But _you're _telling Dad."

"Done." Belly shrugged, hugging the fur ball to her chest as I took soothing breaths and tried to sort out my head.

This woman infuriated me like no one else ever had. Sure, me, Ed and Jazz fought when we were younger but that was different. That was like, brotherly fighting. So far today Belly had managed to push my buttons harder than Ed or Jazz had in years. Her tears made me irrationally angry with whoever had made them appear and her petulance made me want to shake some sense into her..._or make her shut up another way_...my thoughts swung towards her appearance and I stifled a groan. Her long wavy brown hair and enormous coffee bean eyes were inexplicably attractive to me, despite my type always being blonde before now. She's an enigma, I realise. Her appearance draws you in and parts of her personality..._God_, they shove you away so hard. _So why is it you still want to talk to her? Get to know her?_

"Um, Cullen? We're here." My eyes flash open and I snap my head to the side, blinking at Lozza as she grins at me from outside the car, door open in her hands.

"Er...thanks."

"Cullen?" I walk towards the RV, stopping at Lozza's quiet voice.

"Yes?" I reply tightly, not turning to face her.

She puts her hand on my shoulder lightly, "I'm sorry about today. I'd explain but I-"

"Don't want to hear it." Without waiting for her to speak again I turn, stomp back to the car and throw myself inside before peeling out of the car park and heading somewhere else. Somewhere Lozza and Belly and this stupid obsession can't plague me. Although something tells me it will take drastic measures to get that far away.

**BPOV**

"What. The hell. Is that?" Big C asks tightly as I step into the RV living area, my new pet resting in the crook of my arm. She's really cute with a little black face and white splodges on her chin. I'm gonna call her Rylie, 'cause it's a cool name.

"This is Rylie. She's seven weeks old and she's my new kitten." Micro eyes her with a weird look on his face, Testiclees gets up and comes over for a closer look and Benjaminge wanders in from the kitchen with a grin and pets her. She scratches at him and I laugh with Micro and Testiclees. Benjaminge doesn't laugh. Funnily enough, Big C doesn't either.

"Good girl, Rylie. You tell him who's boss, huh?" I coo and scratch her little head. She makes a funny mewing sound and I scrunch my nose up. "That's not so scary. We'll work on it."

"Isabella..." Big C groans. I turn to face him. He's sitting on the sofa, head in his hands and 'v' between his eyebrows. Cullen's face comes to mind but I quickly push it away again and walk over to sit beside Big C. Rylie crawls off me and onto his leg, mewling pitifully. To all of our amusement she starts butting his arm with her little head and he lets out a shaky sigh before sitting up and looking at her with a frown.

"What? Why're you lookin' at her like that?" I ask after a few moments of them having a silent stare down.

"Are you keeping her on the RV?"  
>"Yes." He nods as if he suspected it.<p>

"Right. And is she litter trained?  
>"Not yet. We're working on it."<p>

Another nod. "And you're arranging for it's shots." This time it wasn't a question, but I answer like it was, telling him 'of course'.

"Ok. She can stay. Any trouble, we're dropping her off at the first shelter we stay near. Got it?"

I grin and kiss Big C's cheek, making him harrumph quietly. "Got it. Thanks Big C. Come on Rylie, let's go get you some stuff to make you comfortable." I wander outside with Ben, who tells me that he wants to get something or other from the store, and Rylie, who is sleeping in my hoodie pocket with my hands cradling her gently so she doesn't get jostled too much or fall. Lozza is sitting on the grass by our parking space, but Cullen and the car are gone. "Hey Lozza! Where'd he go?" She looks up and smiles sheepishly.

"Dunno. Took off a few minutes ago. You wanna go pet store shopping?"  
>"Yeah." She nods.<p>

"Ok. Let's get a cab. We have about two hours before we need to get back and start getting ready."

"Okey dokey, Benjaminge is pokey." Ben laughs quietly, Lozza snorts and I giggle as Rylie licks my fingertip in my hoodie pocket.

Three hours later we -the band, Big C, Alec, Rose and Jess- are gathered in the dressing room whilst the Tigers do their thing. Our sound check was good today and I feel really energised so tonight should go well. I have a good feeling about it. "Belly, get your ma-"

"Don't. Even. Think. About it." Micro shakes his head at my warning, pointing his thumb towards his shoulder. I smirk at him as he huffs and crosses his arms. "What? I can't help it that she likes you for some reason." Rylie's taken a liking to Micro; he's the only one on the RV so far who doesn't like her. Well, except Cullen. But I haven't seen him since he dropped us off this morning. For some reason though Rylie likes to sit on people's shoulders. Micro's especially if she can't get to me, which right now she can't because Lozza is plaiting my hair. Hence she's bugging the shit outta Micro, which has the others in stitches. Even hard ass Jess likes Rylie though, and she's being kinda nice today which is cool. Usually she's a bit of a bitch but she seems to have taken a turn for the better. And I definitely haven't missed the 'subtle' looks she's been sending Micro's way either. Something's goin' on there. I know it is. And I'm gonna find out what it is.

"Oh just get her off, please!" He exclaimed five minutes later as Rylie kneaded his shoulder with her tiny, sharp claws.

"Big C, could ya...?" Big C grinned and got off the armchair to fetch Rylie.

"Come here little one." His big hands carefully pried her from Micro and she immediately climbed up to rest on his shoulder as he chuckled and tried not to shake her around too much as he walked back to the chair. "Are you almost done over there girls? Show starts in fifteen." He reminded us gently.

"Yep. Done now. All good?" Lozza spun my chair around and gestured to my hair with a flourish. Micro, Benjaminge and Testiclees grinned, nodding with their thumbs up.

"You look hot, Belly Boobs." Testiclees winked and I rolled my eyes and poked my tongue out for good measure.

"Shut up Testes." He grumbled something under his breath but I hadn't upset him 'cause he was grinning madly, which made the rest of us laugh.

"Alright you two, enough of that." Big C got his walkie and spoke into it quietly, but I could still hear what he was saying. "Hey Jazz, you guys found Em yet?"

Whiplash's response was crackly. "Hi Pops...found...not...he's...bit shitty...can't come...he'll be at the...V...shall I...says he...Belly Boobs..."

"What about me?" I asked boldly, standing so Lozza could sit and touch up her face in the mirror. Big C glanced my way with an odd look in his eyes.

"Can you come down and take him to the hotel?"  
>"Yeah...says you...can be...fifteen minutes?...work out...won't it?..."<p>

"Jazz it's breaking up. Get down here so I can talk to you both properly. Hurry up." Big C clipped the walkie back to his pants, stood up carefully, mindful of Rylie, and then handed her to me. "Say goodbye so we can get up to the stage." I kissed my kitten's nose and gave her one last cuddle before passing her to Rose, who'd be staying in here to look after her while we performed.

"You stayin' tonight Big C?" Micro asked as we all walked up to the stage, fixing outfits and ear pieces as we went. Stupid technology shit. Be easier to perform without the stupid fucking things fuzzing in my ear. Something to do with security though or whatever.

"For tonight, yes. I thought I'd see what all the fuss is about for myself." We all laughed at his joke and it struck me how glad I was that we had Big C. I wouldn't let myself think about his threat to leave at the end of the tour. It wouldn't happen. I was confident of that. Big C loves us. We're part of his family.

"Hey everyone! It's great to be here, and I can't wait to show you some of our new stuff. You ready to sing along? You all know this one!" Testiclees started up on the drums, Lozza and Micro on their guitars and I let myself be enveloped in the music. "Buddy you're a boy, make a big noise. Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day. You got mud on yo' face, you big disgrace, kickin' your can all over the place. Singin' we will, we will rock you. We will, we will rock you!" As I lost myself in my music, the thrum of the audience and the vibrations of Testiclees' drums pounding through my feet, my mind wandered to Cullen. For some inexplicable reason, I was worried that tonight meant he'd walk. Something had changed today, something permanent. He hadn't tried to de-stress the situation with humour, like usual. He hadn't made a pass at me. He hadn't tried to lighten the atmosphere at all, and now he hadn't showed. A quick glance to the side of the stage proved that he hadn't come; Whiplash and Pretty Boy were standing, arms crossed, with troubled faces. That was _always _Cullen's post. Right there, directly across from me. And tonight, he wasn't there. At the half time break I panted and jogged off-stage, gulping the offered water.

"Isabella, I need to talk to you quickly please."  
>"Sure Big C. Whatever you say." He led me just out of the way of Alec and his fellow techie's.<p>

"What's up?" Something in his expression immediately told me that I wasn't gonna like what he had to say. "Big C?" I prompted.

"Right. Well. Emmett has decided to take a couple of weeks off. He flew out an our ago. He'll meet us in Minnesota and-"

"Woah, hold the phone, Big C!" I put my hands up, frowning and really not enjoying the rolling in my stomach. "He's gone? Like, he flew out? Today?"

"Yes." A slight smirk settled on Big C's face. "He boarded once my darling wife had de-planed. You wouldn't happen to have anything to do with that, would you?"

"No. Nothin' at all." We were ushered onto the stage then and I had to brush off my disappointment in order to give our audience the show they paid for. For the first time ever, when I left the stage an hour later, I couldn't remember a thing from the set.

Back at the hotel Big C had everyone come to his suite and we all had drinks to celebrate his birthday. Mama C, Esme, hugged all of us in her signature motherly way and made us tell her all about the tour so far, including the pranks we'd been playing on her husband, sons and nephew. I excused myself from that conversation and sat on the balcony with my beer in one hand and Rylie on my shoulder. Yesterday morning I'd thought that I was pregnant. My period was late -it still hadn't arrived actually- I'd been crankier than usual and I felt really weird. I was terrified that I was. It'd be Peter, some guy from back home, that I'd have to tell when we got back. If it had been his I'd be three months pregnant already, so by September I'd have a baby. There was no way I'd be able to perform for much longer if I had of been pregnant and the tour would've been majorly messed up. Thank _God _it was a false alarm. When Lozza told me that Cullen was taking us to the doctor's office I panicked; _he can't know_, was my first thought. Firstly, he'd tell Big C before I had a chance to work something out. Secondly, the thought of him knowing something like that made me feel violently ill. We'd been walking back to the car, relieved that it had all been a misunderstanding, when a guy walked up to us with a box of squirming kittens and asked if we wanted them. I decided to take one, and now I had Rylie. It hadn't occurred to me that Big C might make me give her away, but then he was a sucker for animals and everyone knew it, so she was safe. When I was a kid I always wanted a pet, but I never got the chance. Now was the perfect opportunity; Rylie could be our little mascot and tour cat.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"Shit, Pretty Boy! You fucking scared me." He chuckled and sat down, ignoring the scowl I shot at him for it.

"Sorry." He looked completely _not _sorry, and I told him so. Damn idiot shrugged. "You ok? You're missing a party in there." He nodded towards the sliding doors and I looked in, smiling at Big C and Mama C dancing with the gang.

"S'alright. Not in a party mood." He widened his eyes and I laughed, rolling my eyes at his goofy grin.

"You know...you have a really pretty smile."

"Thanks." He nodded, and I pondered the fact that a compliment comin' from him didn't set my damn face on fire like it did when his brother said something sappy. "Guess you do too."

Pretty Boy shook his head wryly, "Huh, thanks, I think."

"Welcome, Pretty Boy. Hey, can I borrow your cell for a sec? I just wanna make a call."

He frowned slightly, "why can't you use yours?"

"'Cause it's inside and I can't be assed to get it."

"Hmm..." I watched as he fished his cell out of his jacket pocket and tossed it to me; I caught it, just, and grinned toothily.  
>"Thanks."<br>"No problem," he said as he got to his feet and stepped towards the doors. Pretty Boy stopped with his back to me, hand on the door handle. "His number's in there under 'Jackass'." I couldn't help but laugh despite the fact that he had me figured out. A minute later I had his phone pressed to my ear with the dial tone playing.

"Hey Bro." I frowned when he finally answered; he sounded tired and sad. It made my chest hurt. "Sorry 'bout earlier. I just had to get home. I need to clear my head, maybe a couple of weeks will help." He huffed out a breath and I got the irrational urge to hug him. "You there?" He eventually asked.

"Yeah, I'm here."

Cullen sighed heavily, "Shit. Bella?"

"Mm hm."

"D'you steal it?"

I grinned. "Not this time. He gave it up willingly."

"Figures." We sat on silence, neither of us knowing what to say. There were so many things bubbling in me, wanting to get out. I'd never felt like this before. So keen to try and make things right. If someone didn't like me or something I'd done, that was their choice. Usually I didn't care. _Usually_...something about this baffoon of a guy got under my skin and I felt frustrated that there was nothing I could do about it. Maybe he was right though, maybe this time apart would help? "Um, Bella? I'm gonna go."

"Ok." I croaked, coughing and clearing my throat against the sudden onslaught of emotion. "Um, you're meeting us in Minnesota right? Two weeks."

Cullen huffed out a breath, "probably. I owe Dad. I'll see ya Bella. Be good for Jazz and Ed." Before I could answer him the dial tone began playing in my ear so I dropped the cell on the chair beside me and tugged Rylie down to my chest, cuddling her and sighing when she butted my chin gently.

Four days later we moved on to Miles City and spent the first night hanging out in the RV. There had been issues with plumbing or some shit, and that's why we'd been in hotels still but now it was fixed and we travelled with The Tigers in their RV, occasionally swapping over so we could get to know them better. Jake, Seth, Jared and Angela Black became a part of our gang and we all had great warm up sessions and hung out in the dressing rooms after the shows. I also gave them all nicknames as their initiation, which they thought was pretty hilarious. Jake became Prince, because the hair and make up girls all fawned over him. Seth was dubbed Babyface; that one sorta explains itself, and he's the youngest out of all of us at nineteen. I gave Jared the name Dude, because he was a typical man's man. And last but not least, their sister Angela became Queenie. I think that one's also pretty self explanatory. Their crew was also pretty cool, and it only took a few days for their techie to start hanging out with Alec every chance they got. It was pretty cute and we all gave them shit. Queenie also got right on in there with our Benjaminge, which was sorta weird actually. They hung out _all the time_, and sound checks started being odd with both bands there at the same time most days. It was ok, but it definitely took some getting used to. Since Lozza joined the band over a year ago it'd just been us five and our crew; now there were like, ten of us. It was crazy at first.

On the twenty first of March we had our first show in Miles City; it was packed out and the audience was manic. The rush from performing never failed and I revelled in the familiar feeling, hating that as soon as I stepped off the stage my thoughts would be ripped back to the big guy that was still missing. Cullen had been in contact with Whiplash and Pretty Boy, and he'd probably talked to Big C too, but I hadn't heard from him. Hell, even Micro spoke to him yesterday on Skype. It bugged me that I missed him so much because really, we hadn't even spent that much time together before he left. I'd never gotten hooked on a guy before, especially not one that was _paid _to watch us.

When the show was finished I trailed back to the dressing rooms with the guys and Lozza, smiling at The Tigers when we got there and found them starting the party. "Great set guys. You rocked it." Jake tossed us all a beer each, bringing Rylie over to me with a wide, toothy smile. "Belly, awesome shit."

"Gee thanks, Prince. Hewwo Rylie, come to Mama." My kitten flew from his shoulder into my arms, meowing loudly in my ear as she kitty-butted me with her head.

"You want me to...?" Jake nodded at the unopened beer in my hand and I shook my head.

"No thanks, I got it." I tapped the bottle top against the wall at a certain angle and the lid popped off, flying towards the corner of the room. I took a big mouthful and then grinned at Jake as he shook his head at me. "What?"

"Nothin'. Nothin' at all."

For the next three hours, until almost one am, I screwed around with Prince, Dude and Babyface while Queenie, Ben and Barbie -aka Rosalie- wandered off to do something, Micro and Ty went with Curly -Jess- to arrange a change in the set for tomorrow night and Big C left with Whiplash and Pretty Boy for a 'chat'. I drank, danced, sang and laughed with the guys, forgetting about the stupid dick that is Cullen and just having a good time. That's what these things are all about, right? "Hey Belly, you wan' anothuh?"

"Gimme, Dude." Jared laughed and threw me a bottle; his aim was shit so I only just managed to catch it. Unfortunately, the alcohol I'd already had made me a little wobbly so I tumbled sideways into Prince.

"Steady Belly. Wouldn't want our star to break something." He winked cheekily, slurring a bit.

"No we wouldn't. That'd suck ass." I agreed solemnly, deciding that the floor looked comfy. Babyface and Prince obviously agreed too and flopped down but Dude laughed and flew onto the sofa. No kidding. He actually _flew_.

"Are you stayin' in our trailer tonight or yours, Belly Boobs?" Jared asked a while later, twirling an empty beer bottle around on the floor next to the sofa.

"Er, mine. Comfier and yours _stinks _like stinky boy ass." I scrunched my face up. Their trailer smelled of socks and sweaty feet last time I went in there. They always come to me now if they wanna hang out.

"True. Can we come stay witt you?" Babyface asked with a cheeky boy grin. He looked really _young _when he did that! And he's nineteen. That's why I call him Babyface. Yep. That's why.

"No. There isn't 'nuff room." There's no way they would fit in our trailer thing. They're all six foot something or other and they'd take up _mucho _room.

"Hey, I could have Cullen's room and you can sleep on the floor." Prince chortled, rolling over onto his back. His head flopped into my lap and I poked his closed eyelid, making him yell out with a laugh.

"No way." The mention of Cullen made my chest hurt again and I huffed. Still like, a week to go until he meets us somewhere or other. It sucks.

"You guys, we're goin' now." Pretty Boy appears out of nowhere, like magic, and then scoops me up.

"Ah ah ah! Put me down! I wanna try somethin' else." He stops and sighs but lets me down. I turn him round, push him so he bends over a bit, and then jump onto his back. A few minutes later he's walking with me wrapped around his back. Sorta like a spider monkey. Huh. I'm a monkey. Neat.

"You alright back there?" He asks. I can't be bothered to speak so I nod against his shoulder, resting my head on it afterwards. If I just...close my eyes...I can go to..._yawn_...sleep... Before we get to the back exit my eyes slip shut, Pretty Boy tightens his arms around my legs and I snuggle into his hoodie, letting myself fall asleep. It doesn't occur to me when I'm this drunk that I talk in my sleep, and the main focus of my dreams for the past few days has been his hot, annoying, adorably dimpled brother. _Oopsies._

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><p><em><em>**So, what you think?**


	5. Chapter Four

**Hey everyone! I'm glad you seem to be liking the story so far; I'm quite enjoying writing it!**

**Thank you to all the people who've been reviewing, I've replied to all of them as quickly as possible so hopefully any  
>questions you had were answered adequately. If not, drop me a pm and I'll answer better as long as it doesn't give too<br>much away.**

**This chapter's a little shorter than the others, sorry, but it's mostly kinda filler and it'll pick up next chapter. I promise.**

**I said to a few of you that the next chapter would be up today or yesterday, and I'm posting at 23:57 GMT so technically I didn't lie :P**

**Enjoy! See you on the other side.**

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

**EmPOV**

"Emmett Dale Cullen, so help me God if you don't stop moping around this house I'm going to call your father." I sigh and look up from my untouched cereal, meeting Mom's eyes; they flicker with anger and sadness and it makes me feel incredibly guilty. It isn't her fault everythin's gone to shit and I'm miserable.

"Sorry Mom." Her face softens and she sighs, walking around the counter to wrap her arms around me as best as she can. I'm a lot bigger than she is and her fingers don't touch when she hugs me.  
>"It's ok Emmett. I know you miss her." She looks up at me and cups my face, frowning. "When did you last shave?"<p>

"Er..." I cast my mind back. "The day before I left Dad? So, a week ago? What's the date?" Suddenly Mom isn't holding me and I'm alone in the kitchen, listening to the dishwasher whir.

"Carlisle, talk to your son. He's scaring me. Here Emmett, your father wants to speak to you." Mom presses the phone into my hand, scurrying out of the room and up the stairs as soon as I lift it to my ear.

"Dad," I sigh my greeting, feeling bad for not particularly wanting to talk to him.

"Son. How are you?" His tone is wary and careful, not to mention quiet; I know she's nearby.

"Fine. What did Mom say to you?" Dad sighs.

"She's worried about you, Emmett. Quite frankly so am I. I know that you're feeli-" The thought of another of Dad's caring lectures makes me shudder and I can't stand the thought that he might actually have figured me out. It occurred to me that Edward or Jazz would tell him why I really had to leave, and that he'd quickly realise it wasn't homesickness, but I didn't count on him trying to talk to me about it. Guess I should have.

"Dad, don't. Please. You don't know how I'm feeling so please don't try and persuade me otherwise." I groan, rubbing my face roughly. How did everything go to shit so quickly? It'd been going so well. I loved being on tour with Dad and the band. I love travelling. Their music was awesome. _Bella_...

"I understand that you're missing your brother and Jazz, and the band. I understand that you're missing the opportunity to travel and do the things you were looking forward to. Son, I understand you left because you started feeling things that scared you for Bella. I'm not an idiot. I saw the way you two looked at each other." He chuckled quietly. "And Edward and Jasper are quite the gossips."

I groaned again and hit my head on the table. "Dad..."

"I know. It's alright. Do you want to stay there and I can manage with Edward and Jasper or are you going to meet us in two days like we arranged?"

"I don't want..." I trailed off as I realised that I didn't know what I wanted. I didn't know whether staying here was the best option, or if I should go ahead to Minnesota like I planned and meet them there.

"Emmett, am I right in saying that you have feelings for Bella?" Dad asked bluntly when I didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"I...um...er...it's not...should..._Dad_, I don't know!" He laughed tightly.

"Get your bag packed and get out here. We'll meet you at the arena show night. Don't forget your security pass."

"Wait! I'm not-"

"Son, sitting at home moping with your Mother is not going to make you feel better let me tell you. Not to mention that you're worrying her with all your sullen Cullen attitude. Her words, not mine. If it helps I'll switch things around so you're on Lauren duty or with the guys and Jasper and Edward can handle Bella. She seems to have calmed down somewhat anyway. You keep your distance from her if you need to and deal with this however you feel you can, ok?" And so it was then, with Dad's reassurance, that I decided to man up and go ahead with my plans.

**BPOV**

The drive from Fargo, our last stop before Minnesota, to Minneapolis takes almost four hours and every minute is purgatory. We had our last show in Fargo last night and I didn't get into bed until five this morning. It's ten am now and we're almost at the venue in Minneapolis where we'll be performing for the next five days. Lozza's been keeping me informed with day to day gossip in the celebrity world; J-Lo had a nose job that went _really wrong_ and Brad Pitt has signed up to do a new film based on a cowboy. Obviously, Lozza and I are gonna be waiting for that to premier and pray that Big C can get us tickets. Micro and Ty are playing the Playstation while Jake and Dude wait for their turn. I'm not even sure why they bother 'cause they're all crap at the game they're playing; Fifa 13. They won't let me play though now. Long story short, they always lose. Big C has been in the main bedroom on the phone for _ages _and I'm dying to know who he's yacking to. Lozza thinks it's Pretty Boy or Whiplash seein' as they didn't come with us this morning. They left early in the minivan with Alec, Queenie and Ben. Apparently they had 'errands to run'. Whatever. They're up to something. I'm a top schemer, and I recognise the beginnings of one starting.

You see, the past couple of days have been weird to say the least. Big C's hardly been off his phone. Barbie and Curly -Rose and Jess- haven't been around much and usually they hang with us inbetween shows and stuff. Pretty Boy's been taking lots of 'private' calls and Whiplash gets all twitchy and nervous when he does. At first I thought it might be something to do with the fact that Cullen is supposed to be joining us in Minneapolis, but then, why would that make them all act so damn _weird_? I figure sooner or later one of them will slip up, but until then, I'm gonna be doing some research of my own. When we arrive at the venue I tell Ben I need to work through some new notes with him before we hit the showers, and he follows me into the small studio without suspicion. As soon as we're alone, I turn on him. "Ben, I need your help."

He frowns, "um yeah. I know? You asked me to help with some notes."

"No. I need your help with somethin' else. You're the best guy with computers here, and I need you to do some stuff for me."

"What's in it for me?" _Good boy. Don't argue._

I grin. "Well Benjaminge, I'll have a chat with Queenie and find out how it's really going between you two."

"Done. What do you need?" _Perfect. _

An hour later it's four pm, Lozza, Ben, Ty, Mike and I are gathered in the studio and Big C is listening in from the green room with Whiplash. Pretty Boy is still 'running errands'. Mike picks at some random notes on his bass whilst Ty taps out a slow rhythm on the drums. I frown and shake my head. "No, it's too mellow. We want something...more." Ty stopped playing and then grinned, tapping out a new beat. Mike filtered on on his bass and I felt myself beginning to smile as Lozza picked up her wicked pink guitar and meshed a tune in with the one the guys were playing. I heard Big C's approval through my ear piece and grinned widely, already imagining wrapping the words around the music. It was funky and original and although it veered away from our usual kinda tempo, I liked it; judging by the grins on my band mates' faces and Big C's praising, I wasn't the only one.

By show time that night we were all pumped. The new song was comin' along great, Big C was in a great mood because of that, and that meant he'd given us permission to go out tonight after the show. The Tigers had agreed to come with and we'd scouted a cool sounding club to hit up when we were done here. Lozza and I spent the hour before we had to get inside in the RV playing cards while Big C talked to Pretty Boy, who had come back half an hour before we left the studio earlier, and Whiplash. Ty, Ben and Micro had taken it upon their stupid asses to be the entertainment and we'd had to put up with them trying to imitate me singing. I know. Moronic. _Tragic_, really. I mean, they can all sing, but they can't _sing_. Know what I mean? Eventually Big C is done talking to the Babysitting Brigade so we all have to sit in the living room while he drives us to the Target Centre where we'll be performing.

"Ok guys, you ready?"  
>"Ready."<br>"Yes, Sir."

"Yup."

"Yeah Big C, s'gonna be a good night."  
>"Urgh, guess so." The guys all roll their eyes at me, Lozza snorts through her nose and Big C grumbles something under his breath. If I didn't know him better I'd have thought he'd been wishing for 'the damn kid' to get here sooner, but he never wishes for more of us so I know I had to of misheard him.<p>

"Right. Good. In that case, have your huddle and let's get you out there!" Big C clapped Testiclees' shoulder on the way out and we all got up, forming a circle.

"Ok Belly, what you got?" Micro asks with a massive grin once we're in place.

"Nothin'." I shrug. "I was hopin' you guys thought of something." I look around at the guys' faces, then Lozza's. It is _really _fucking hard not to laugh, 'cause their jaws are all hanging open and they look super shocked. "I'm freaking jokin', dudes! Seriously." They all sigh and nod, as if they knew that all along. _Bastards. _"Ok, so we're not doing anything too bad tonight. I'm saving my good stuff for the bigger cities." Five minutes later when Big C bangs on the door and tells us to come out, we do. When Alec yells for us to hurry up so he can put our earpieces in quickly, we do. And when Jake introduces us and we get the signal to jog on-stage and high five them on the way, we do. Only difference is, tonight the Tigers are gonna stay with us and do a couple'a songs. Big C doesn't know, of course, but they're all more than up for it and I think it'll be good.

"Hello Minneapolis! Havin' fun?" I yell into the mike; the audience roars back and I laugh. "Good! Alright, so I'd like to introduce my guys, Ty, Ben and Micro over there, and Lozza on electric." There's a cheer for my band mates and I grin, returning Jake's wink when I catch his eye. "And o'course I should say thanks to The Tigers for getting you all warmed up for us, Jake, Ang, Seth and Jared! They're gonna sing a couple with us tonight if you don't mind? Let's go guys!" And with that both our drummers, Jared and Ty, and Micro and Seth, jam out the opening notes of little by little, one of the songs I wrote in my first year of being in the band. "We the people fight for our existence. We don't claim to be perfect but we're free. We dream our dreams alone with no resistance, fading like the stars we wish to be." There's a roar from the crowd as Jake joins me singing the opening verse; it feels weird sharing the words with someone else. Lozza sometimes sings with me, but not often, so it's super strange having someone else singing with me even if it is only Jake.

**Someone'sPOV**

_Wow. _I can't think about anything except her as she leans into the mike and sings, her hair curled over her shoulder and her big brown eyes smiling out. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stop myself from letting her know that's what I think. The time I've spent with her only seems more and more special every time I see her, get to hear her voice. She's amazing. Everything I've ever wanted. As I look at her face, knowing that she's unaware I'm even here, my whole world changes. She's important to me, and no matter how she feels right now she _will _be mine. There is no option for me anymore; I have to have Bella Swan.

**BigCPOV**

"Alec..." I take a deep breath and watch as Bella and Jake start singing. Annoyingly, it only fuels my anger because they're better together than I imagined.

"Yeah, boss?" Alec stands next to me, arms crossed over his chest and smirk displayed proudly on his face.

"You didn't feel the need to tell me that they'd changed their set, _again_, because...?" He snickered.

"Big C, who's idea do you think it was?" A long sigh leaves me as I close my eyes and press my fists into them. _Bella_. Who else would think to stress me out even further today without even knowing it? And I understood Alec's line of questioning, because she is quite the persuasive young woman; it wouldn't be _quite _as bad if she wasn't perfectly aware of that fact.

"You know what?" Alec turned his head to look at me quizzically, my suddenly upbeat tone probably confusing him. "I don't mind. They sound great, they're not doing anything wrong per se, yet, and it's ok. Alec, just let me know next time, ok?" With that I marched down the hall towards the dressing room, stooping to pick up Rylie and sit her on my shoulder before I closed the door and sat on the sofa.

"Hey Pop."

"Son." Edward grinned and finished his beer, throwing me one when he got up to get another. "Edward, I'm not...oh, what the heck." With a grimace I swallowed a mouthful of the beer..._Budweiser_?...and frowned at my youngest son. His hair was amok, shirt askew and the smile on his face was one I recognised from his teenage years. "What did you do?" In a show of sudden amusement at the situation facing me later, or perhaps it was mild hysteria, I added, "or should I be asking _who_?" There was a guffaw of laughter from the doorway and we both turned to see Jasper and Emmett standing there, both of their faces slightly red from the laughter that plagued them for a good couple of minutes. They came in and sat down either side of me, evidently very amused at my uncharacteristic display. To be honest, they probably weren't half as shocked as I.

I couldn't help but notice the way Emmett's eyes flickered periodically to the door as the minutes passed or his obvious perusal of Bella's grey cardigan resting on the back of the armchair Edward was sitting on. It was clear to me that my son had strong feelings for Bella, and it pained me to admit -even if only in my head- that I couldn't see them being reciprocated very soon. Don't get me wrong, Bella Swan is one of the most bright and intelligent girls I have ever had the pleasure to meet, she just isn't exactly the kind of woman I would expect Emmett to be interested in. Nothing would make me happier than to see Emmett take care of Bella, and tame her somewhat although that could just be my wishful thinking, before I find them a new manager when this tour is over. The knowledge that they would have him looking out for them if I couldn't would ease my conscience. Only trouble was then, I didn't want Bella or Emmett to get hurt if things turned out badly. Relationships on tours like this one could go one of two ways for them; very well, or very bad. Bella would be busy and amped up with the buzz of touring and performing almost every night. Emmett would be tired and quite possibly cranky after dealing with her sometimes childish antics.

Bella, Tyler, Mike, Ben and Lauren bursting into the room with The Tigers interrupted my musings and I stood to greet them and ask how it had all gone. I noticed belatedly that Emmett was nowhere to be found, and deigned to ask Edward or Jasper where he'd gone to and when, later. For now, I had to be the manager my band needed. "Big C it was _awesome_!" Lozza cried, knocking back a shot before smiling at me. "Seriously, the crowd loved it. We shared songs and Belly and Prince totally kicked _ass_." There were whoops of agreement and shouts too; I grinned and shook my head at Bella's wide, proud grin, as I pulled her into my side and smiled in greeting at Jake.

"Well, perhaps next time you could give me a little warning _before _you give me a panic attack wondering what you're up to, hm?" Bella giggled loudly.

"That mean there's gonna be a next time, Big C?"

"Hell yeah, Belly Boobs! That set rocked!" Seth slammed his big hand on Jake's shoulder and grinned toothily at me, his youth showing through tenfold in that moment.

"There we go then. Spread it out a bit, this tour could do wonders for _both _of your careers if you play it right, ok?" Plans were made and drinks were consumed before the bands left with Edward and Jasper to go to the nightclub they'd arranged to go to tonight. I had a date with my wife back at the RV, so I walked out with them before heading inside and quickly pulling my cell out as soon as I was inside, Lauren and Bella retreating to the master bedroom whilst the others went and got their things from the minivan so they could get ready in the Target Centre's bathrooms.

"Hello sweetheart, did I wake you? I'm sorry." Esme giggled sleepily and my heart swelled with love for her. It's been nearly thirty five years since we married and each day only made me love her more, though it surely must be an impossible feat.

"No, it's more than ok, honey. How did the show go tonight? Any more surprises?" Her sneaky tone made me certain that she spoke to Bella more often than they let on, but I'd give them their fun and not call them out on it. Yet.

"It was great. Everything ran smoothly and I had a lovely, stress free evening." My voice was even and calm, so hopefully she'd believe me. After a few seconds of silence, I feared Esme had lost connection or fallen back to sleep. "Esme, sweetheart?"

"Oh Carlisle," she erupted into giggles and I sniffed, grinning widely at her reaction nevertheless. "You underestimate women, dear. Bella and Lozza told me about their plans when I came to see you for your birthday. At the time though they weren't sure when to do it." I laughed lightly, internally agreeing with her; clearly my wife knows more than she lets on, and she learns it from my wayward lead singer no less. Then I realise something she said and gasp.

"_Lozza_?"

Esme giggled tiredly, "Bella warned me not to shock you."

"Humph." My wife laughed louder at the sound that left me, out of character as it was. "I'll bet that wasn't all she said either, was it sweetheart?"  
>"Ok, well I'm very tired so I'll bid you goodnight honey. Be good, have fun! I love you!" I smirked and rolled my eyes.<p>

"Sweet dreams, my beautiful wife. I love you too." I bid her goodnight with the same words as I had for the last thirty five years, knowing it would only be a matter of time before she suddenly arrived again.

**BPOV**

"_Nooooo_!" Lozza wailed. I clapped my hands over my ears and spun round to face her with a scowl, disregarding the fact that my towel dropped as I did so. Lozza and I had no dignity when it came to each other after touring and living together as we did, so stupid shit like walking around with barely anything happened frequently. She glared at me. "There is no way you're wearing _that _to Aqua. I'll pick you something." Before I could say a thing she was rummaging through the small closet in the master bedroom, flinging my clothes all over the place. I sighed and sat down on the bed, looking in the mirror at my hair. It was curled loosely but it just didn't look _right_. "Here. This'll go great with the shoes you've already picked out. Now hurry up so we can meet the guys." Lozza shoved an unfamilar dress into my hands, chucked the shoes I'd already chosen onto the bed along with a very _familiar _pink striped bag with glittery writing; ah, Victoria's Secret. _Nice_.

The silky red dress fit perfectly with one arm and shoulder completely bare and the other partly covered by the asymmetrical sleeve. It fell to mid thigh and contrasted with my dark hair and red lips just the right amount. The gold Jimmy Choo's I'd picked out matched it too, and then all I had to add was my gold locket and I was good to go. As soon as I stepped out of the bedroom Lozza passed me a gold clutch bag, my cell, keys to the RV, some money and small can of silly string already inside. The silly string is an essential, the rest is just there for the hell of it. I appraise Lozza's outfit at her request and nod approvingly at the Herve Leger bandage dress and Christian Louboutins she's wearing. Then, we call goodbye to Big C and step outside. The guys are all waiting there already and we laugh at their grumbling, although I don't miss the way Testiclees' eyes follow Lozza and vice versa. I know that they've got history, although they like to think it's a secret. I'm just waiting for the ideal time to let them know that I've know all along. In all honesty, they'd be good for each other if they got their heads out of their asses for long enough to see it. I resolve to get the bone-heads together before the end of this month, link my arm through Lozza's and climb into the minivan so Pretty Boy can drive us to Aqua, the nightclub we picked for the night's celebrations. Not sure what we're celebrating yet, but there'll be something.

When we arrive at Aqua there's a _huge _line and I thank heaven's that we called ahead; the bruiser at the door grins at us and lifts the rope before we get close, nodding and wagging his eyes at me and Lozza as we pass. I poke my tongue out and roll my eyes at his deep belly chuckle, cutting off when I realize that it reminds me of another big lug. It also makes me wonder if he came back, or if he's staying home. "Come on Belly, let the guys get some drinks in! I got a table over there, alright?" Whiplash takes my arm and then Lozza's to lead us over to the table while Micro, Testiclees, Benjaminge and Pretty boy head off for drinks. It's suspicious 'cause they definitely don't need that many of them to get a few drinks, and then the latter two veer off before they disappear into the heaving crowd.

"Hey Whiplash, I gotta go pee." Lozza announces, winking at me when he rolls his eyes and lets go of her, helping me onto one of the stools around the table. I watch him critically as he sits beside me, wondering what the guys are all up to.

"Ya know, you're gonna give me a complex if you keep starin' like that." He eventually shouts over the music, turning in his seat to grin at me. It hits me then that he looks a lot like Big C, his uncle. The same blond hair, although Whiplash's is a little longer, and blue eyes. Pretty Boy has Mama C's bright green ones, and Cullen, Cullen has a mixture of the two. Sort of aqua really; ironic that I come to that conclusion sitting in a bar called the very same.

"Sorry." I shrug, and I think we both know I'm not.

"You wanna go dance?" He thumbs towards the heaving crowd and I grin widely, nodding eagerly. I take his hand without preamble and we merge into the people without trouble. The song changes and Whiplash roars with laughter when I roll my eyes dramatically, dancing along anyway. It's The Chambers and the Valve, one of the songs we released last year. Benjaminge and Micro can take most of the credit for that one; all I do is sing.

An hour later it's three am, I've had several rounds of shots with the gang and I've only left the dance floor to do so. Lozza came back and found us quickly, singing along with me to the lyrics of our song. Luckily no one recognised us but it was only a matter of time before somebody did. There were posters of our faces all over the city after all. I got a shock when Pretty Boy joined us and busted a groove too, not actually half bad. His cousin was better, but he wasn't bad like I expected. By four am I found myself leaning back against Whiplash, his hands on my hips and mine over my shoulders on his. I'd had more than enough to drink and so had he, and despite the intimate way we were pressed together I knew it didn't mean anything. Whiplash was my friend. My buddy. Pretty Boy too really. We'd all gotten close even though it annoyed me to admit it. Then again, what can I say? Guess the Cullen's are all just too damn loveable for their own good.

**EmPOV**

I got my ass out of dodge before the band could get into the dressing room, glad that Dad didn't seem to notice. He looked pretty out of it actually, thinkin' really hard. Ah well. Good for him. Mom called me to make sure I'd arrived ok, which I had, and then she told me to do the right thing. After that she hung up and I was left standing in the parking lot of the Target Centre pondering my options. I could go to the RV and hang there, but Ed already told me they're all goin' out tonight so the girls will be coming back to get ready. I could hang around here and wait until they've gone out again, but that means sitting out in the cold for however long. It's decided for me when I heard Jazz laughing. The others are right behind him, and I have a split second to duck behind a van while they pile out and onto the RV and minivan. My legs don't want to hold me up when my ears pick up the faint laughter of Bella, and they let me sink down to sit on the cold ground with my head in my hands. All through high school I had girls throwing themselves at me, endless girls that wanted to date me or just spend the night with me. I took advantage of it for a while, what guy wouldn't? It stopped being fun a long time ago, and that's when I stopped hanging out with all the meat-head jocks and just did what I had to to graduate. I went to football practice, studied hard to catch up with all the shit I'd let slip, and eventually graduated in the top ten of my class. It was Ed's turn three years later, and by then I was in college studying business. I completed my degree early, and spent the next five years bumming around doing menial jobs just to pay my rent on the apartment I shared with a college buddy. It wasn't until Dad called I realised how stupid I'd been, letting my life slip away. This was my chance to do something with it. My chance to show Mom and Dad that I _could _be somebody. I _can_ achieve more than just a stupid certificate that means virtually nothing to me now I have it. If I'd known my whole world would be turned upside down by one infuriating, confounding, beautiful woman, I don't know that I'd have jumped at the chance to come along so readily. Looking back, it doesn't seem like such a simple decision anymore.

"Shit!" I cry, huffing out a breath when I realize that it's Ed's ringtone coming from my hoodie pocket. "What?"  
>"Jeez bro, calm down. Where are you?" He must be at the club already; when I cautiously stand I see that the minivan has left in the time I'd been moping on the floor.<br>"RV. You at the club?"

"Yeah. Listen, I know you don't wanna see her, but come down and have a few drinks? You guys need to sort this shit out or it's gonna get really awkward on the RV." My hand runs through my hair, a habit me and Ed both got from Dad. I, yet again, had two choices. But which one should I go for?

Half an hour later I was dressed in a pair of dark jeans, a white dress shirt and my well worn leather jacket, and about to walk into Aqua. Ed called a few minutes ago to check I'm coming. He sounded pretty desperate, and it made me feel a bit guilty. We were meant to be looking out for the band tonight as well as having fun; we were here as security too, and we had to take our jobs seriously. The bouncer let me in with a silent nod to the groans of the people still waiting outside, even though it was almost three am. I knew that Aqua wasn't closing until five this morning, something to do with a certain persuasive brunette no doubt. I waded through the crowd towards the bar, figuring one of the gang would spot me and come over. The bartender was just handing me my beer when I heard a familiar shriek of laughter and slowly turned around.

_Sweet mother of..._I had a clear line straight through the dance floor for a few seconds and what I saw made my blood boil. Jazz, dear cousin Jazz, was hanging onto a pair of curvy hips in blood red material, his own dangerously close to touching her. My eyes trailed upwards, noting the soft curves of the woman he was holding, and the way her arms were back over her shoulders and her fingers gripped his dress shirt by his neck. I took a deep, shuddering breath and gulped my pint, slamming the bottle down before taking large strides towards Jazz. Just as I got there, his head turned to the side and he grinned widely, obviously pretty drunk, before whispering somethin' in the woman's ear. She tensed and stopped dancing immediately, and even from a couple of metres away her deep breath was visible. My cousin gently stepped back, turned his dancing partner to face me and scampered off into the crowd with a wink. My eyes were locked on the heart shaped face of the woman I had barely stopped thinking about since I last saw her, and even then my memories didn't do her justice. Without conscious thought I walked towards her, reaching out with my hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear; a chuckle left me when she blushed fire engine red at my grin. "Dance with me."

**BPOV**

I first realized I was being watched when the song changed and Jazz shook slightly. At the time I didn't know it was laughing that made him do it. Then, he leant down and I shivered when he whispered in my ear. "Don't look now darlin' but there's a big motherfucker by the name of Cullen about to beat my ass. I'm gonna leave you to it." Not five seconds later he'd turned me and I was facing Cullen for the first time in two weeks. His eyes were blazing but from here I couldn't really tell why. My eyes raked over his shirt and _very _nice fitting jeans before I noticed his leather jacket; I didn't _mean _to drool, but it was a drool worthy sight. Six foot four of muscles and leather and man and just _Cullen_. My heart pounded somethin' fierce when he started walking towards me and stuttered when he tucked my hair back, his _damn fucking adorable _dimples on full display. 'Course that made me blush and then I was just angry with him for making me blush just by smiling. "Dance with me." The music was so loud I didn't hear what he said, but I can lip read pretty well and my suspicions were proved correct when he reached out and pulled me towards him by my hips so our bodies were touching in the middle. A shudder rippled through me and his cologne or whatever made me feel even more drunk that I already was. If he hadn't been gripping me pretty damn tightly I probably would'a fallen on my ass in the middle of Aqua. The last thought I had before I let myself be completely sucked in was _Goddamn, how am I gonna resist the fucker now?_

**LPOV  
><strong>

"Woo hoo!" The gang all cheered and laughed. Cullen and Belly _are dancing_! Eeeeh! Our plan is working! I sit back and watch my best friend be sucked into Cullen's charms and shit and remember our meeting earlier without her.

"_Ok, we need to get this shit sorted. Belly's miserable as fuck." I nodded at Testiclees and Whiplash snorted._

"_Stupid thing is, so's Emmett. I called Aunt Es yesterday and he's just dossin' about." Pretty Boy grimaced and ran his hand through his messy hair just as Whiplash did the same and I giggled, shrugging when they all turned to look at me._

"_Right, we gotta be quick before Belly comes back, but I've got a plan. You guys think you can get Cullen here for when we go out tonight?"_

_Pretty Boy and Whiplash faced each other. "Er, might be a problem but he was meant to be comin' anyway today. I can ask Dad?" We all agreed with Pretty Boy's suggestion and he quickly dialled Big C. "Hey Dad, is Em comin' down today still?...uh huh...alright...sure, we can do that...alright. Thanks Dad." He hung up and grinned at us all. "He's on his way now, so he might make the show."_

"_Cool! Ok, that's cool." The guys all laugh so I stick my tongue out at them, not missing the weird look Testiclees gives me but not mentioning it either. "Get him to Aqua and I'll do my bit with Belly. Whiplash, I'm gonna need your help too." The Southern boy nodded and rubbed his hands together._

"_Shoot."_

_I grinned, "get Belly to dance with you when Cullen's there. It'll drive him wild and he'll come and get Belly from you. Try and flirt a bit infront of him, ya know what I mean?"_

_Whiplash laughed and nodded eagerly. "That's easy, Lozza. Got it."_

"_Good." With our plan organised all we had to now was wait and hope that Cullen decided to come to the club later. If he didn't we'd have to think of something else._

* * *

><p><strong>I keep forgetting to say that if there's a song mentioned in the chapters so far and you wanna know what it is, pm me and I'll let you know. All the songs I mention belong to the awesome people out there who write and perform them, and I take absolutely no credit for any of it.<strong>

**So, like it enough to drop me a review? Pretty please with Emmett's dimples on top? :)**


	6. Announcement Sorry!

Hey guys,

I'm **REALLY **sorry if this got your hopes up in regards to an update. I've had a few very keen pm's from various readers and it kills me to have to say the chapter isn't ready yet. As I told them, it just isn't going as I'd like and I don't want to upload a chapter even I don't like. You get me?

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that A Fine Line will be updating as soon as _dear old_ Cullen and Belly get their asses in gear and help me out a little. And that I've uploaded a little preview of a plot bunny that just. wouldn't. stop. bouncing.

If you're not too -understandably- mad with me, please drop into 'No Such Thing' and let me know what you think.

Sorry, sorry, sorry!

*Hides behind laptop sheepishly* Poppy xoxo


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